The Fate Games
by boywithbreadlover
Summary: "There is no good in the Hunger Games, even if you do win." It's the same story we all know and love, but in Peeta's point of view! Find out what was going on in his head as everything happened, and just how did he get in with those careers? Read to find out : Since I do not own the Hunger Games, Suzanne Collins does, any direct quotes will be Italicized. Enjoy! :
1. Chapter 1

**Hello! Thank you for choosing to read this. You are surely in for a treat! I do not own The Hunger Games so any direct quotes will be in italics.**

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**Ch. 1**

I wake up with a start from a horrible nightmare. The air is cold in my bedroom. My brother must've left the window opened last night. I told him not to, it is always freezing in the mornings when he does. The sun shines bright outside the window as I close it. I need to get downstairs fast or my mom will get mad.

Sure enough, "Peeta! Wake up!" My mom screams up towards my room above the bakery. I hope no ones in the shop yet. I doubt there will be, it's reaping day, and not many people are up at this hour.

"Yes, Mother." I reply respectively. I breath in the familiar scent of breads and pastries, I hear my dad scrambling around the shop, trying to get things ready. We're quite busy right after the reaping. People are grateful their children weren't reaped so they come to buy breads in cakes in a bittersweet celebration. Even if their own child wasn't sent off to the Capitol, two of our own were. No one really celebrates the night of the reaping, but people do try.

Right as I enter the room, I see Gale Hawthorne walking towards the door, squirrel in hand. He gives me a small nod of the head as I walk past him. I don't even acknowledge him. I doubt he knows why I always give him the cold shoulder, or why I never even say hi to him.

"Peeta can you hand me one of those loafs." My dad says as he walks over to negotiate a deal with Gale. I throw one of our smaller loafs towards him and walk towards the cakes.

"Peeta, I'll frost them, go help your brother make cinnamon rolls." I could argue, but I decide not to since my mother is always crabby on reaping day anyways. So I walk towards my oldest brother Rhys and start helping him. Rhys isn't in danger today and it's my other brother, Marcus's last year. Since we're not dirt poor our names our only written on the least amount of slips they could be written on. We usually don't worry much.

What I usually worry about on reaping day, is her, Katniss Everdeen, the girl I've been in love with since the first day of Kindergarten. Every time I pray our district escort won't call out, in her high capitol accent, her name. Each time she doesn't I promise myself I will tell her. I can never find the strength to though because I know Katniss would never give me, Peeta Mellark, a second glance. If I were to declare my love for her, she'd probably run-off to her best friend, Gale Hawthorne, and just laugh about it. She probably wouldn't even know my name. So that's why every single year I break my promise, and never tell her. If I don't do it this year I will probably lose her to Gale.

"Peeta, on a second thought, I'll work with Rhys." My mom turns away from the unfrosted cakes, one sits with a horrible flower on top. Today clearly isn't my mother's best day at frosting, not that any day is.

My dad finally comes back from talking to Gale. He is carrying a fairly small squirrel. "You gave him a whole loaf for that? That will barely feed Rhys." My dad just looks at me then looks back down at the bread he was kneading. He's always had a soft spot for the seam people and I had no idea why. He'd probably give bread to them for free if my mom would let him, but she never would, because we already have to eat the burnt and scraped bread as it is.

I get to work on the 30 cakes I have to frost. I have until two; it's plenty of time. Frosting cakes is therapeutic for me. I stop thinking and I just frost. I could frost anything really. Today it's just flowers; Orange, purple, blue, green, red; all kinds of colors. I absolutely love it. I started frosting when I was only six and my parents were completely overwhelmed with work. Soon I was frosting all the cakes, even the wedding cakes. My dad once joked and said I was Capitol ready. They would probably think my cakes weren't eccentric enough. I wouldn't be able to get there anyways, well, unless I was reaped. Which would be horrible at all cost, but especially because I wouldn't last two days in the Hunger Games. Probably die at the cornucopia at the hand of the careers.

Before I know it, it's time to go. The reaping is always brutal. Seeing two kids that you know, being shipped to slaughter. Really the chances of being a victor in District 12 are zero to none. There have only ever been two victors. Every one here is just sorrowful on reaping day and sad that we have to watch two of our own be shipped off and get killed.

I spot Katniss with her sister, Prim. They exchange a moment in each other's arms, Katniss looks fine, only with the look that almost everyone wears on reaping day, but Prim looks horrified. It's probably her first year. They let go of each other and walk off to their areas. Katniss stands right across from where I am. She just stares straight ahead. I see her glance back to what looks like the eighteen year-old section, where my brother is standing. Then it dons on me, of course, that's where Gale is sure to be standing. I wish I was the one she looked to, to calm herself down, I wish I was her everything. She's already is mine.

Our mayor, Mayor Undersee, walks to the microphone. To begin the speech he tells every year; to talk about all the disasters that our country Panem rose out of; then of the uprising that the capitol of course won. Because of the uprising, the capitol had to make sure the districts would never rise up again, and so The Hunger Games were created.

The mayor ends his speech with the same line each year, "_It is both a time for repentance and a time for thanks._"

He then pulls out a paper, a paper with two names written on it. The names of District Twelve's only victors. Which as he says his name, Haymitch Abernathy makes his way onto the stage. Sloppily hugging Effie Trinket, our district escort, in confusion. She of course gasps, which kind of makes me laugh. I've always kind of admired Haymitch, even if he is a ruined drunk, he still beat the odds and won. He deserves respect, and most everyone in District Twelve gives it to him. Not that we see him that often.

Effie gladly gets up and walks to the microphone. She says a few things, and then makes her way to the girls reaping bowl as always. She dramatically draws out a slip. The entire district waits there silently as she walks to the microphone again.

"Primrose Everdeen." Effie Trinket calls out in her high capitol accent. I wince, that's Katniss' sister. It can't be her. No wonder she looked so horrified. Did she know deep down in her core?

Then I hear a voice in the silence. Not just any voice. Hers.

" I volunteer!" She steps out of the crowd and people whisper their respect, but everyone knows she's the only one that would ever do it. Everyone knows she would do anything for her sister. While everyone is whispering, I'm silent because this might be the last time I see Katniss in all her beauty. Then our district shows their respect with our three finger salute. I'm not sure who started it, but it was needed. I gladly do the small action that means a lot to anyone in our District.

I take her in as she walks up to the stage says her name and solemnly stands, waiting for Effie to call the boys name. I see Haymitch get up say something in a drunken stupor. I can't quite hear him, but it's sure to be something snotty. He loses his balance and plummets off the stage. Oh how the Capitol people will love this. Will they even care that I just lost the love of my life?

Effie's quick to walk to the boy's reaping bowl and she's also quick to call out my name.

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**I hope you liked it! Don't forget to REVIEW on the way out! Thanks! ~boywithbreadlover**


	2. Chapter 2

Enjoy! I don't own Hunger Games. Any direct quotes are in italics.

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**Ch.2**

What does Katniss think when she hears my name? Am I just another boy in the crowd?

Shock fills my face as I wonder how the one slip that had my named on it was pulled. Was it fate that I would go into the Hunger Games with the one girl I love, the one girl that consumes my every thought?

Effie asks for volunteers, but no one steps forward. Going to the Hunger Games, you were sure to be killed. People in District Twelve were poor, but they weren't stupid. Of course no one volunteers. I slowly walk towards the stage afraid of what is to come. Her face calms me down, an emotionless face, in a very emotional time. How is she doing it? How is she not full out sobbing, like I'm about to do? After this I'm suppose to go home, to my family. I'm not supposed to be put onto a train and shipped to slaughter. No, I'm supposed to go home and frost more cakes, I'm supposed to go home and celebrate. That's not what's happening though.

I make it to the stage and the mayor begins another speech about The Treaty of Treasons. I try to compose myself, after all this will be on television. The Mayor concludes his speech and tells me to shake hands with Katniss. I look into her beautiful grays eyes and somehow I see fear. The only way I can comfort her is to give her a tight squeeze in the handshake. We turn back around to the crowd and the Panem anthem begins. It's a very prideful song that I'm sure the capitol people love. Here in District Twelve we don't hear it that often, except when we are forced to watch the games. I never really liked it.

The anthem concludes and the Peacekeepers take us to the Justice Building for our final goodbyes. I'm taken to a room that is probably the most luxurious room in the whole district. I wait on the couch as I wait for my first visitor to come in.

My two brothers walk through the door. Marcus looks sad and Rhys is emotionless.

Marcus speaks up first, "Peeta I'll miss making cakes with you." Every Saturday, since as long as I can remember Marcus and I have been making cakes with Dad. It's a time where we talk and bond and just laugh. I love Saturdays because of just that. Rhys thinks it's stupid, but he's older than us and we're not as close.

Marcus starts crying but goes on, "I'll try and pick up frosting so that the cakes will be presentable, we don't want mom frosting them." He laughs. I laugh too, but tears start coming down my face. "I'll miss you, you're the best brother anyone could have." Marcus concludes and Rhys begins, "Peeta I remember when you were born, I was eight and I swore I would never let you get hurt," Rhys was always there to protect me, "and now there is nothing I can do, and I feel like I failed you. I'm sorry." His apology is barely audible and I take them both into a hug. This is probably the last time I'll see them and I need this moment.

"It's not your fault." I whisper into his ear. All three of us Mellark boys are crying when the Peacekeepers come in. "I love you guys." I say as they leave.

Next my parents come in. My dad is crying, but my mom isn't, she just has her normal evil face on. It's just the way she is.

"Peeta I got some cookies for you." My dad says. He hands them to me and I smile through my tears.

"Thanks dad, I love you." My dad nods, saying he loves me in his own way.

"Well it seems District Twelve might have a winner this year." My mom says and I'm surprised in her belief in me. She has to know I probably won't win. She does because then she says, "She's a survivor that one." She thinks Katniss might win not me. My mom may be brutal sometimes, but I love her anyway so I take her into a hug. This might be my last hug from her ever. I then grab my dad and hug him tightly.

"Dad if I don't make it back, just know that on Saturday's I'll be there in spirit." I choke out. I hug him and don't want to let go, but I have to so I do. They tell me that they love me, then the Peacekeepers come in and I watch as my parents leave.

Some of my friend from school come, and say goodbye. They each hug me and wish me luck. I smile at them. Then they leave and it's time to go.

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So did it make you cry? The relationship between Peeta and his brothers isn't really shown in the book, so I thought I might add some love :) Don't forget to review. Chapter Three will be here soon don't worry.!


	3. Chapter 3

**Here's chapter three! I sincerely hope you enjoy! I don't own The Hunger Games, Suzanne Collins does so any of her words (direct quotes) are in italics :)**

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**Ch. 3**

I'm taken in a car to the train station. While the car ride takes place I let the tears stream down my face. I will truly miss all the people that came to say goodbye to me. Even my mom, no matter how cruel she can be. She's my mom, and I will love her forever. I'll miss my dad's own ideas of affection. They way he would nod at me and I just knew he was saying, "I'm proud of you son." I'll miss Rhys' and mine wrestling matches, and after how we'd always hug each other. I'll miss Marcus because we were just really close. He knew everything about me and I knew everything about him. We were best friends. So I welcome the tears, rolling down my face and I'm definitely not ashamed of them.

At the train station I'm told to stand there as people take my picture. I've never seen so many flashes in my life, but I just take it and wait for the moment I'm aloud to load the train. We are finally taken to board the train and I gasp when I walk in. This was even more luxurious than the Justice building. Even the richest people in District Twelve would dream about anything in this place.

Effie comes in and shows us to our rooms saying dinner will be ready in a couple of hours. She highly recommends we take showers and clean up. I walk in to the bathroom and notice how much bigger it is than the one we have at our house. Let me remind you it's on a train. Since we live in town we are lucky enough to get warm water, but I know a lot of people in District twelve are less fortunate. I jump in to the shower and rinse off. I realize I'm rinsing away the last of District Twelve still left on my body. I wash away the flour on my hands and the coal dust from my ankles and suddenly I'm cleaner than I've ever been.

When I'm done and dressed I wander into the hall. Haymitch is walking towards me, clearly not sober.

"Hey boy," he says, "Congrats!" He laughs, " I'm gonna go take a nap. See you on the flip side!" He then walks past me to what I guess is his room and stumbles in. I go back into my room and remember the cookies my father gave me. I unwrap the package to find sugar cookies, my favorite. I eat one deciding to leave the rest for later. Effie comes in as I put the cookies away.

"Hello Peeta!" She says in a too happy voice.

"Hello." I accidentally mimic her accent and hope she doesn't notice. I don't think she does because she goes on.

"Dinner is going to start shortly, we eat straight ahead. I have to go get Katniss I'll be right there." As she leaves I get up and walk towards where she pointed.

I smell the food and know instantly this will be the best meal I've ever had. Might as well fatten up the cow before you kill it, right?

Katniss and Effie come into the room a couple of minutes later. Katniss looks refreshed yet slightly scared. Katniss rarely looked scared. I've caught her a couple of times around school and in the market where fear lies behind her eyes, but it's very rare.

Effie comes and sits, "_Where's Haymitch?"_ She asked, oddly enthusiastic. What am I saying, it wasn't odd, not coming from Effie Trinket.

"_Last time I saw him he said he was going to take a nap." _I say. As I say it Effie loosens up. I can see that they barely tolerate each other.

"_Well it's been an exhausting day."_ Effie goes on and tells us about how hard it is with all this traveling and how she just hopes she'll get a closer district next year. I nod along as Katniss just sits and stares out the window, the landscape moves by fast.

"Have you guys ever been to District Four," She pauses, "Well, silly me of course you haven't. Well anyways it is absolutely gorgeous." Luckily our food comes out right then and stops Effie for just a second. This is definitely the biggest meal I've ever had as it comes out, course after course, not seeming to ever end.

Effie really seems to rub Katniss the wrong way about how we had manners and the tributes last year didn't. So after that Katniss just ate with her fingers, they way most District Twelve people did. I've never really ate that way, because it made my mom really mad, just like Effie.

By the end of the meal my stomach is fuller than it's ever been with the richest food I've ever ate. To be honest, I don't really feel that hot. Judging by Katniss' face she isn't feeling great either. Then there's Effie, happy as ever, not looking sick at all.

"Well, that was delicious, not as good as the stuff at home, but it was amazing." Effie says. I'm astonished that the food could get any better. "Well since dinner is done, why don't we head out and watch the other reapings?" We get up and go to the other room in which a television is sitting. We sit through all twelve of the reapings.

I study each of the faces of the children reaped. That's what we are, children, and notice how in districts one, two, and four the kids look proud. Proud that they are about to leave home to kill and probably die themselves, in a worthless game, that capitol people watch for entertainment. I feel sorry for them, trained to die, and for what, the slight chances of living in Victor Village if you do win? The worst parent award goes to those parents, for sending their kids off to slaughter with pride.

In all the other districts, they don't look proud at all, the just look sad. Some try to be tough, so they won't be set-aside as weak, but I see it; the sadness behind all their eyes. It was in my eyes too, barely in Katniss' but it was there. It's finally to District Twelve and I watch as what just happened to me a few hours before plays out. The commentators wonder what my strategy was, or if I just weak. They decide it was strategy since I look fairly strong. If only they could see inside my head, they would know it wasn't strategy at all. It was just plain me. I wasn't necessarily weak, I had almost won wrestling for our school, but I wasn't that strong either. I give myself a week maybe two in the games, but I know I can't hope for more.

The only thing Effie cares about is how her wig looked when Haymitch confusedly hugged her. "_Your mentor has a lot to learn about presentation. A lot about televised behavior." _She crosses her arms over her chest in a fit. I'm not going to lie it made me laugh. She's been coming to our district for a good ten years she has to know he's a full-fledged alcoholic.

"_He was drunk, he's drunk every year."_ I say.

Katniss adds to the conversation, "_Every Day."_

These comments make Effie very angry; she stands up with one final argument, "_Yes. How odd you two find it amusing. You know your mentor is your lifeline to the world in these Games. The one who advises you, lines up your sponsors, and dictates the presentation of any gifts. Haymitch can well be the difference between your life and your death!" _She basically is yelling by the end. To think this all started with how he messed up her hair, but what she say is so true it scares me. Maybe District Twelve hasn't had a victor in so long because of Haymitch. I won't let him screw this up for me because I still could win. No matter how slight a chance, and if I do my mentor will be a very big part of it.

Haymitch walks into the room, still drunk, "_I miss supper?" _He says with a drunken voice. His face turns green and he does what I may very well be doing later tonight with all the food I ate. He vomits onto the floor then falls right into the center of it.

Effie gasps, "_So laugh away!" _She tries to get out of the room quickly without stepping in the mess. She runs off and Katniss and I are left with a very big mess.

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**I hope you enjoyed. The fourth chapter might be here tomorrow, it depends. If you enjoyed it please REVIEW, REVIEW, REVIEW! I'd like to know what you think and what I could improve upon so please, please, please REVIEW! Have a good Sunday :)**


	4. Chapter 4

**Here's the next Chapter I hope you enjoy. Like I said before I don't own the Hunger Games any Direct quotes from the books are in italics! Have Fun reading!**

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**Ch. 4**

By the time Haymitch has gotten himself up from his vomit, I've thrown up in my mouth three times. Katniss looks as if she is about to do the same herself. I tried to look away, but I was afraid he'd fall again. He just sits on his knees for a second and that's when Katniss and I move in and grab him by his arms.

"_I tripped?_" Haymitch mumbles, "_Smells bad."_ It really did, like a pigpen dumped in puke that was dumped in alcohol. He manages to get his face covered in the stuff as well.

I sigh, "_Let's get you back to your room. Clean you up a bit." _I say in the most sympathetic voice I can manage. Haymitch leans most of his weight on me as we take him back to his room.

"We shouldn't put him on the bed." I say to Katniss once we get to the room. I don't know if the capitol workers would be too happy about vomit on the expensive comforter.

"To the bathtub?" Katniss asks.

"To the bathtub." We finally get there and set him down. It's such a relief to get the heavy weight off my shoulder. Katniss stands the awkwardly, out of place, "_It's okay. I'll take it from here." _I knew Katniss did not want to help Haymitch take a shower. She relaxes.

Just before leaving she adds, "_All right. I can send one of the capitol people."_ I don't really want them helping Haymitch. They don't know where he came from, what he's seen. They would judge him by just the look of him. Besides I want him to like me so he won't be a complete drunk while being my mentor during the games.

"_No I don't want them."_ Katniss leaves, very relieved as I get to work on Haymitch. I help him with his clothes and decide to just throw them away. It isn't like he doesn't have any. I leave his underwear on because some things are better left unseen. I help him stand up and turn the water on. "Wash up, I'll wait and help you get dressed." He mumbles something that wasn't coherent. I walk into his room and sit on the bed. When this is all over I am going to take a shower.

While I wait I wonder what my family is doing. Are they crying? Are they baking? Did they go to bed early? My dad usually baked when he was stressed. The display case was sure to be full tomorrow. I wonder if my cakes sold. I wonder if the people buying them knew they were Peeta Mellark's last ever cakes. I picture my dad saving one in the fridge, hoping it will keep. I wonder if they ate the squirrel my dad got from Gale today. It was small, but they probably didn't have much of an appetite.

"Boy!" I hear Haymitch. "Grab me some clothes." I quickly get up and pick some nightclothes. I decide now is not the time to be talking about his soberness. I won't ask about that, maybe something else.

When I walk in Haymitch has himself wrapped in a towel. "My names Peeta." I say.

"Huh? I knew that." He laughs.

"I wasn't sure you called me boy. You feeling better."

"Tons." He picks up flask and takes a drink. "There's nothing like Ripper's white liquor." I think Ripper's a lady that works at the hob, although, I've never really been there. "So you got a crush on that Katniss girl?" Haymitch asks. In my head I'm screaming YES, I'M ABSOLUTELY HEAD OVER HEELS FOR HER. The words that come out my mouth are so rehearsed I don't even think twice about it. "No I've only seen her a couple times. She seems nice."

"I'm not asking if you've met her, I'm asking if you like her." He smiles. "I see the way you look at her. To bad you got put in this, you might have had a chance."

"I don't like her." I say.

"Fine, you can go now, I feel a lot better." I don't say anything else. That respect I had for him earlier today is dwindling fast.

I slam back into my room and lay down on the bed. I feel so dirty so I go to take a shower. What does he mean the way I look at her? I've barely been around her. Much less looked at her. How can he tell? Not even Marcus has noticed my love for Katniss. He's sees me when she come into the shop to trade. I practically drool over her then. I do not need this cover blown, she'll laugh in my face. At least one of us has to die anyways. There is absolutely no way we can be together. Not now, not ever. I hate myself for not telling her earlier. Maybe, if I had, we would somehow still be home together. She would be returning my love for her and we would be happy. We'd grow old together and have kids. Some how those kids would never be in danger. The best part of this daydream is that Katniss Everdeen would be mine forever. That's not reality because we are both on a train, being shipped to the capitol, and I'm one door away from her, yet she would never welcome me in.

I finish my shower and feel cleaner than I did earlier. I step out of the bathroom to the bed and instantly fall asleep.

"Peeta." Katniss whispers in my ear, "It's time to get up." She crawls into bed with me, "But I'm still tired too. Just a couple more minutes will be fine." She kisses my forehead and I sigh, completely content. In the distance I hear a child's voice coming closer and closer.

"Daddy! Mommy! It's time to get up. It's time to play." The child jumps on the bed.

I lean over to Katniss and whisper, "We really need to get her a sibling."

She laughs, "I'm working on it." I look down at her swollen belly. Then I look to our daughter, a mini Katniss with my eyes. She smiles…

"_Up, Up, Up! It's going to be a big, big, big day!"_ I instantly wake up from my dream and am thrown straight back into reality. I look at Effie and smile, trying to hide my sadness that my dream was in fact, not real.

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**I hope you liked it. I thought the dream was sweet :) Anywho, why don't you review? Like the ryhme? I made it on my own time :) But seriously Review! Thanks, for reading :)**


	5. Chapter 5

**Hey guys, sorry for the wait on this one, I didn't have time to write yesterday... Anyways, I hope you've liked it so far, and if you have a complaint or think I should change some thing Message Me! I'm all ears. So like I said before I don't own THG so any direct quotes are in italics! ENJOY!**

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**Ch. 5**

I get up quickly feeling like Effie had known what I was dreaming about. I dig through the drawers trying to find something comfortable. It feels weird to not wake up to Rhys tackling me, like he does almost every morning. It feels so weird to not wake up and smell the cakes cooking and know that they're all mine to frost.

I make my way to breakfast and find I'm the only one in there. Today they serve us buffet style. There's every kind of food you could ever imagine. I find myself looking at a delicious smelling brown liquid. I decide to ask one of the capitol workers what it is.

"Excuse me, what's this?" He laughs at me and then gives me a sad look, like he pities me.

"It's hot chocolate, it's like melted chocolate mixed with milk. One of my all time favorites." He says in a very thick capitol accent. He walks away as I get myself a cup and try it.

The first sip is heaven. It's like bathing in chocolate while eating it at the same time with a warm glass of milk. I look over the rest of the food and only one thing looks completely amazing to me. Bread. Heck, I miss home, and bread is home. I pick up a bunch of the rolls and take a big bite. It's almost better than our best stuff at home, but you can't beat my Great-Grandpa's roll recipe. I start tearing pieces of bread and dunking it in the hot chocolate.

"Well if it isn't the helpful Peeta Mellark, who by the way does not have a crush on Katniss Everdeen." I turn around to see Haymitch, then I look around to make sure Katniss did not hear a single word. Haymitch comes and sits down pouring himself a nice cup of, well I'm not completely sure what it is, some type of alcohol.

"I don't. And I don't think you should be drinking. You should be sober when you mentor us."

"Well folks seems we've got an expert on our hands." He says to an invisible crowd and then to me he says harshly, "Look Peeta, I've been doing this for twenty-four years, and the first four I was sober, I didn't have a victor then, so why not be drunk if you can't get a victor sober?" He laughs to himself, which I don't think is funny at all. Effie walks in fast and looks highly annoyed. She grabs herself a cup of coffee.

"Listen, we're going to be at the capitol today. I don't need an overly drunk man on my hands."

"All right sweets." He laughs at his nickname for her, but of course Effie is absolutely infuriated by it. She quickly hustles out of the room just as Katniss comes in. Katniss stands and stares at the place Effie was.

"_Sit down! Sit down!" _Haymitch says, gesturing for her to come over. She stares at all the food in front of her, not completely sure what to do with it. I see her eyes stay at place just about where the hot chocolate is.

_"They call it hot chocolate. It's good."_ I tell her. I take a sip of my own and go get some more. All three of us eat the rest of our meal silently. Haymitch getting more and more drunk as each minute goes by. While I'm still slowly eating the rolls by dunking them in the hot chocolate, Katniss speaks up.

_"So you're supposed to give us advice?"_ Her own way of saying, "Step up. You are our mentor." I wait for his answer, hoping maybe, it will be helpful. I probably should not have hoped. Didn't I just say he was drunk?

_"Here's some advice. Stay alive."_ Haymitch pauses for a second, and then begins full out laughing. It completely infuriates me. Didn't he go through this? Wasn't he just another tribute on a train at one time? Shouldn't he remember how completely frightening it is? We should be given a fair chance, and it isn't fair if our mentor is drunk 24/7. Katniss looks at me and I feel sorry for the hatred she must see in my eyes, but she has to feel it too.

_"That's very funny,"_ I say to him, completely sarcastic. Impulsively I move forward and knock the glass out of his hand, "_Only not to us."_ His reaction is quick and I'm surprised he isn't sober by how fast he moves. He punches me in the jaw and makes me fall from my chair. I stay there for a second as I hear Katniss put a knife into the table.

"_Well, what's this? Did I actually get a pair of fighters this year?" _Haymitch says, like none of that had just happened. I get up and reach for ice because my jaw hurts like no other. "_No." _Haymitch stops me, "_Let the bruise show. The audience will think you've mixed it up with another tribute before you've even made it to the arena."_

"_That's against the rules." _I say.

"_Only if you get caught. The will say you fought, you weren't caught, even better."_ Haymitch reasons and to my surprise he has not poured himself another drink. I want so badly to stop this throbbing pain, but if my mentor is finally trying to give some advice, I guess I have to take it. He turns to Katniss, " _Can you hit anything with that knife besides a table?"_ I know Katniss prefers her bow; after all we eat her squirrels on a normal basis. I'm sure she has skills with knifes though. She gets up and grips the knife firmly. She let's the knife fly and gets it to land perfectly between two panels. Pure skill, I could never do that.

"_Stand over here, both of you."_ Katniss and I walk to the middle of the room as Haymitch circles us. He looks at us curiously, touches our muscles, and examining our faces. "_Well your not entirely hopeless. Seem fit. And once the stylists get a hold of you, you'll be attractive enough."_

It's a known fact the prettiest tributes get the most sponsors. Usually those tributes are bred in Districts one, two, and four. On top of their trained skills, they're beautiful, they're usually bound to win. It's always a little exciting when another district wins. Of course you would never be caught dead in District Twelve rooting for the careers.

Haymitch contemplates something for a second, "_All right, I'll make a deal with you. You don't interfere with my drinking, and I'll stay sober enough to help you, but you have to do exactly what I say."_ As I listen to this, I brighten up inside. Maybe I'll have a slightly better chance, and really I'd rather Katniss get out than I do. Her family needs her. Sure my family will miss me, but time will heal those wounds. Katniss' family on the other hand would literally die. I'm sure Gale and her made a promise to each other, but once he goes to the mines, he can only do so much. Katniss needs to win, it's critical, and I Peeta Mellark will do anything to help her.

"_Fine," _I say.

Katniss I see is also excited. We both expected a deadbeat mentor, but now he's actually working with us. "_So help us," _she starts to get ahead of herself, "_when we get to the arena, what's the best strategy at the Cornucopia for someone—"_ Haymitch interrupts her, telling her she's going a little fast. She tries to argue, but Haymitch isn't one to argue, that is clear. Haymitch leaves, and I'm not too happy that he takes the alcohol with him.

I look outside the window and see darkness, that just a couple minutes ago was light. I realize we must be close to the capitol because you have to go through the mountains to get there. Katniss stands there and looks slightly scared. I want to comfort her, I really do, but the words that usually flow so easily from my mouth don't come out. How is it that I can have a totally easy conversation with a complete stranger, but not with the love of my life? Should I ask her a question? Tell a story to lighten the mood? I just don't know and I'm so happy when the darkness once again returns to light. Finally, we are at the capitol and I can see things I've only seen on our small fragile TV Set. Both Katniss and I rush towards the window.

I see colors and colors. Colors I've frosted with, colors I love, and colors I've only dreamt of. The people are so foreign to me, brightly dressed and happy like they don't have a care in the world. So different from the majority of District Twelve in which they have worry about when they'll get to eat. The people walking and riding in cars all notice our train. We're so clearly a tribute train and they just can't wait for The Games to begin. Sickening really. Katniss walks away probably thinking the same thought that I just thought of. Of course she's from the seam, the poorest of the poor. She knows what it's like to starve. These people trust me, I don't like them, but I know we need sponsors, and these people are the sponsors. I wave, I smile, and I make them like me. Hopefully it will help Katniss in the end, after all, we are sort of a team.

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**So I hope you liked it, and if you did please review. I probably will update tomorrow, if I don't I probably didn't have time, but you get to meet Peeta's Prep team in the next one, so be sure to come back! Have a good day, night, whatever! I really hope you liked it! :P**


	6. Chapter 6

**So here's the next chapter. I'm so happy I got my first reviews this morning, it sure made for a happy camper. So you know, the words Italicized are my good friend (Not really friends, I wish!) Suzanne Collins' words from her wonderful masterpiece, The Hunger Games.**

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**Ch. 6**

"Hi Peeta. I'm Talia." A blue haired, young woman greets me as a man walks forward his eyebrows almost touching his hairline. It makes him look surprised all the time and somewhat creepy.

"I'm Rake. Nice to meet you." I shake his hand, which looks to be a light blue color. Another young girl walks forward she has tattoo's all over her body.

"I'm Lucinda, but if you feel comfortable enough, call me Lucy."

I nod as Talia speaks again, "We're your prep team! Your stylist Portia will be in once we get you all cleaned up." I nod again not sure what to say to these exotic people and Talia seems way too happy.

"Peeta just go into that room and strip down we'll be in, in a second." I walk to the room he pointed towards. Maybe, there's a robe in there to wear. I mean they're not going to be staring at my naked body will they? I'm not ashamed of my body; I'm physically fit and have a slight outline of a six-pack. It's just that these people are complete strangers. I only just met them two seconds ago and now they're going to see me naked. I listen to what they tell me to do. Discarding my clothes off to the side.

They come in a minute later, bringing carts with equipment on them in. They set aside the equipment then look to me. They just stare at me for what feels like forever, and then begin to talk.

"Well, it doesn't seem like too much work. Just little help with the hair, some lotion, a couple showers, he'll be amazing." Lucinda says. Rake nods agreeing with Lucinda, but Talia looks concerned about something. She walks towards me and grabs my hand. Remember I'm naked.

"Look at these nails! Completely black underneath, it's no wonder your from the mining district. This might take hours to get them completely clean." Talia exasperates.

"Not with the stuff Seneca gives us, it's magical." Rake says to her then to me, "These two are new they have no idea the type of stuff they give us for the games!" He laughs and the two girls sigh. They get to work on me. Scrubbing me, washing my hair, and of course cleaning my nails. Soon it's all over and I can't tell you how completely relieved I am.

"Looks like your ready for Portia, put on this robe. She'll be here in a minute." I gladly put the robe on. I haven't felt this naked ever, and I don't really like it. It's not just me that knows all about my body now; it's my prep team too! I sit in the room waiting. I look at my nails at look at how completely clean they are. I can't wait to see what my stylist puts me in for the opening ceremony. Soon I probably will be naked in front of the whole country, except for coal dust covering my body. District Twelve usually has the worst of the costume, but really what can you do with mining and have it look attractive.

My stylist comes in to the room. She's short and sort of plain compared to other capitol workers. Don't get me wrong, she is definitely from the capitol, but somehow she seems different. "Hi Peeta. I'm Portia. It's very nice to meet you. Could you take the robe off, just for a second." I take the robe off. She looks for a second. "Thank you. You may put it back on." I put the robe back on.

"So what's the costume for today?" I ask, Portia laughs.

"Come over here and eat, I'll tell you about it." I walk over to a couch in the room. Portia pushes a button and food comes up quickly. The smell wafts into my nose. It smells absolutely delicious. "So Peeta I hear your father's a baker. Is that true?"

"Yep, I frost cakes." I say somewhat proudly. She laughs and I realize what's so different about her. The way she carries herself. She doesn't walk around like she's better than everyone else, like most capitol people do. The way she acts around me is probably how she acts around friends and family. To her I'm an equal.

"So you must bake the bread as well. I'm guessing it's a wood fire stove." I nod, not knowing where she's going with this, "So your not afraid of fire."

"No, not particularly. I do not like the burns though, one of the worst feelings." She laughs again, although I'm completely serious.

"Okay good to know. So what's the one thing you miss most about home?" She asks curiously, trying to get to know me.

"That's a hard one, everything really. I miss my family, the sense of community, and frosting cakes." I take a bite of the food, and realize Effie Trinket was right; the food is better here. It practically melts in my mouth as I chew. We eat in silence for a second as I study the room I've been in all day. It's really large and kind of dark, I'm not sure why they would do that. Wouldn't you want the most light to see all the imperfections? Then I remember the light Rake put over me, completely blinding.

Portia begins to speak again, "I'm new to this and so is my partner Cinna. Cinna is a complete genius and I really wish I could think like him. When I got the opportunity to work for District Twelve I had no idea what I would do for the opening ceremonies. When I first met Cinna though, he had so many ideas. One really stuck out, but it would take some extra thinking, so we recruited some scientist and his idea came to life." She leaves for a second coming back with a completely black outfit that has an orange and red fiery cape and headpiece. I don't see why scientists would need to be involved with this. "You see, coal is for fires, right?" I nod not quite sure what she's getting at, "With the help of the scientists Cinna and I created a synthetic fire. It looks just like fire, yet it does not burn." I pause. Is she kidding? She's going to set me on fire? Really? I thought maybe she was normal, but I got assigned the craziest stylist ever.

"F-fire?" I stumble over the word.

"Yes, your familiar with it, you said you were. So come on, lets get you suited up." She starts helping me get into my outfit. I'm frightened, I probably won't die in the games; I'm going to die in the city circle tonight. Everyone will be watching Katniss and I burn to death before their eyes. They probably won't even care, let us burn probably.

"Ready to go out there?" Portia asks.

I'm not sure why, but I answer yes. At least Katniss will be right there with me, standing right beside me.

We walk into the meeting area and I see Katniss dressed in almost the same exact thing as me. I see her stylist and prep team and they're as happy and excited as mine. Everyone is jumping for joy just to see us burn. We're taken down to the bottom of the Remake Center, where everyone gets prepared to be taken into the city circle. Our stylists take Katniss and I and position us in the Chariot. They leave us alone to go talk to each other and probably get the fire.

Katniss leans over to me, "_What do you think?_" I think I'm absolutely in love with you, "_About the fire?" _ Oh, that.

"_I'll rip your cape off if you'll rip off mine." _I say, completely serious.

"_Deal. I know we promised Haymitch we'd do exactly what they said, but I don't think he considered this angle."_ He probably did knowing Haymitch. I look around to see where our mentor might be.

"_Where is Haymitch anyways? Isn't he supposed to protect us from this sort of thing?"_ I say, because I could not find him anywhere.

"_With all that alcohol in him, it's probably not advisable to have him around an open flame."_ I love this, Katniss, is actually talking to me, and joking with me. It's amazing. We begin to laugh at the joke, from its complete silliness. The opening music starts, and ends our laughter completely. District One begins their journey through the city circle. I'm so glad I'm from District Twelve and get to go last. It's almost time for District Eleven to go when Cinna come up to us with a torch.

"_Here we go then," _He lights our capes quickly, I freak out inside waiting for my skin to burn. Surprisingly the burn never comes. "_It works." _Cinna sighs, I'm not comforted by the comment, even though the heat might not be here now, it may begin later. "_Remember, Heads high. Smiles. They're going to love you._" Cinna jumps from our chariot, as we start to move he yells to us. Making a gesture that I get. He wants us to join hands.

"_What's he saying?" _Katniss asks me.

"_I think he said for us to hold hands."_ Then I do what I've been longing to do for a long time. I grab her hand and it calms the anxiety. I grip hard making sure not to let go.

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**I hope you enjoyed it! If you did review, and if you like my story follow it! So I'll probably post again tomorrow, but I'm going on like a 20 day trip on Saturday so you guys probably won't get the 8th or 9th chapter until August, sorry:(. But I might have time in the car! So don't get too sad! Review on the way out, it makes my day!**


	7. Chapter 7

**So I decided to get another chapter in before they day was over. I hope you enjoy! I don't own THG any direct quotes are in italics.**

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**Ch. 7**

As our chariot pulls closer and closer towards the entrance onto the street I grasp Katniss' hand tighter and tighter. I take a moment and take in Katniss. The flames illuminate everything perfect about her; her brown eyes, bigger and somehow more beautiful in the bright fiery light; her red lips, fuller and redder than ever before; and the whole of her face more beautiful than it's ever been in all the time I've known her. This really gets my heart beating faster, not only am I going to be on every television nationwide, but the girl that sets my heart on fire, is now really on fire, and is stunning.

We pull into the street, our horses pulling us into the view of all the capitol. Once we enter we are immediately on the giant screens. Katniss instantly turns into a girl I've never met before, she's out going and full of life. She's blowing kisses to the crowd. The capitol people are eating it up. I on the other hand am trying to compose myself. I have try to get the crowd to yell more than Katniss; I need them to yell Peeta as well. They need to see us as a team, it's the only way I can help Katniss while in the Games. So I try to wave, I try to smile, and soon enough a couple people are yelling my name as well. I keep my hand tight on Katniss' as we pull up to the city circle to get our welcome from our president, President Snow.

I've never really seen anything in that man except fear. Which is funny because the only way he stays president is by instilling fear in our country and capitol. But when I look at him I see cold-blooded fear in his eyes. Fear that maybe people will rise again and this time completely destroy him. I see fear, and I never will have respect for the man that probably laughs at the deaths of these children, well, me as well. Of course, his attention is kept on Katniss and I most of the time. The fire is memorizing and the fact that it isn't completely consuming our skin is even more amazing. So yes, even the president of Panem is memorized by it.

The speech is finished, we've circled one last time, and finally the Opening Ceremonies are over. I know I must let go of the tight grip I have on Katniss, but I so badly just want to hold her hand forever. I hold onto her hand still when our prep teams come to praise us and the other tributes give us dirty looks. After that we finally let go. I didn't realize just how tight I was holding. My hand is sore. From the looks of it so was Katniss'. I stretch out my hand trying to release the tension in my muscles.

I look to Katniss, "_Thanks for keeping hold of me. I was getting a little shaky there."_ She really was what kept me from passing out and falling off the chariot.

"_I didn't show," _she tries to be nice, it had to show, "_I'm sure no one noticed."_

"_I'm sure they didn't notice anything but you." _I try to complement her without full out screaming I LOVE YOU, YOU WERE GORGEOUS! "_You should wear flames more often, they suit you." _I tell her, I flash a smile. Hopefully she'll get what I'm trying to say, that I've loved you since, well, kindergarten. She smiles back, and I think she takes my smile the wrong way, because she reaches up and kisses me right where I was bruised. Clearly saying, watch out, I know what your up to. If only she knew.

After were done Effie comes over and get us to take us to our room. She rushes us towards the elevator. The ride up is fast, and a lot more fun than I had expected. I look to Katniss and see a smile playing on her lips; it obviously amuses her as well.

"You guys were absolutely fabulous. People were congratulating me, saying how gorgeous my tributes were this year! I just think you may be the best pair ever from District Twelve!" Effie enthuses, "Well of course they ask me what your strategy is, you know because they want to sponsor. _It's been very mysterious though because, of course, Haymitch hasn't bothered to tell me your strategies. But I've done my best with what I had to work with. How Katniss sacrificed herself for her sister. How you've both successfully struggled to overcome the barbarism of your district."_ If Effie were really paying attention to Katniss and I she'd notice that we are both taken aback by her last comment. If any district was barbaric it had to be the career districts. They train their children to kill and then probably die. At least we have pride in ourselves in District Twelve and don't completely sell ourselves to the capitol. Of course Effie doesn't notice our frowns and goes on, "_Everyone has their own reservations, naturally. You being from the coal district. But I said, and this was very clever of me, I said, 'Well if you put enough pressure on coals it turns to pearls'" _Effie says to us, very proud of herself. It takes every cell of my being to not start laughing. Please, it's common knowledge that pearls do not come from coal. How naïve can they be here in the capitol?

She goes on to bash on Haymitch, but pretty soon our conversation is over. She takes us to our rooms, which our bigger than our bakery store. I decide not to shower, after all I had to take about ten today. I just change into more comfortable clothes before leaving my room.

I find Cinna sitting on the couch, "Peeta, just the boy I wanted to talk to. Follow me." He leads my up a few stairs to the roof. It's dome shaped and you can practically see the whole city. I look down to the street, so far below. I wonder if a tribute has ever tried to jump.

"Aren't they worried that we'll jump? It's an easy way out." Cinna laughs, picking up something. He throws it over the edge, but just as it's about to go over it comes back.

"Force field," he explains, "They've thought of everything." I laugh, of course they have, everyone has to enter alive, but most everyone leaves dead.

"Your good at fashion, the fire really made the crowd fall over Katniss." He smiles, at the same time Cinna pushes away my complement.

"I see the crowd wasn't the only one falling over Katniss." Cinna suggest. How can he know to? I wonder if Katniss knows as well. I must be really obvious.

"Huh?" I try to push it way, I hope he doesn't question any further.

"How long have you loved her?" Cinna asks and I know my cover is up with him. Some how I trust him, he's just so easy to talk to. He probably could talk Effie into murder. He also could talk me into proclaiming my love.

"Your not going to tell, are you?" I ask like a kid being caught doing something bad.

"Of course not Peeta, you can trust me. I just think it would be good to tell someone before things start getting really crazy." Things have already got really crazy, but I know there is more craziness to come. I'm not ready for the craziness of the games at all. I know that.

"I've been in love with her forever. Kindergarten was when it started and slowly each year I fell in love with her more. I never really had a conversation with her, I would always admire her from affair," Cinna nodded, I had a captive audience. "Soon, I was in love, and it's been hard. I would try to muster up the strength to tell her, but Katniss was always so different. She never really talked to other kids, always staying far away from my group. I doubt she ever knew my name before the reaping. So I guess its just fate, that we're both here. I know now I'll never get to end up with her, but I want to do everything humanly possible to make her the victor." I end my story and Cinna sighs.

"Peeta you've got it bad. I feel for you, and I will try and help you to get her out of there alive. I think she has it in her, if she had help. Now, I know she does. She deserves a guy like you. Heck, she deserves you, and you deserve her. I guess fate is against you isn't it?" Cinna leaves and I'm left with my thoughts. Cinna is the only person that really knows how much I love her. I know he will try his hardest to help me to keep her alive. I just hope it's enough.

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**So I hope you enjoyed, If you did review! Reviews make me happy! So you'll probably see chapter eight up here tomorrow! Oh, and what'd you think of the conversation with Cinna? Good? Bad? Tell me on your way out!**


	8. Chapter 8

**Here's the next chapter! Enjoy! Any direct quotes are in italics!**

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**Ch. 8**

I look down to see a carefree city. A city that is totally foreign to me, they never have to worry about being shipped to an exotic place and being told to kill other people. One thing I do know is that they're turning me into a murderer right before I die myself. They're changing me as a person because Peeta Mellark from District Twelve would never harm a fly. I don't like the people walking around on the streets down there; I completely resent them, they sicken me. How can they enjoy watching a show where children kill each other? The people in the districts watch because they have to, they don't enjoy it. How could they, their own people are dying. I wonder what went through the minds of our countries leaders seventy-four years ago as they sat down and planned these Games. Were they happy about it? Or was it really just to keep our country strong? Maybe they never really wanted this much excitement about it, or maybe they did. I wish I were a part of that conversation so many years ago.

"Peeta dinners almost ready come stand on the balcony with Portia and I." I turn around to see Cinna, the keeper of my secret. I walk away from the roof not wanting to look at the city anymore. "The capitol really loved your guy's entrance." I nod not really caring about the capitol people anymore. We walk into the main room, then off to the side where the balcony is. Portia is standing there looking off into the distance.

She turns to me, "Is it pretty in District Twelve?" I think about it for a second. It can be on summer mornings and fall afternoons. Even then you must get over the coal dust and poverty. If you go to the outskirts, by the fence it's pretty. Untamed forests stretch before your eyes; it's a real magical feeling for me to stare into the trees. I've never really been in there before. I wouldn't be able to protect myself anyways.

So my answer is simple, "If you can get past the ugly stuff, it's gorgeous." Portia nods, her mind in a totally different place, probably my home.

"I've always wanted to travel, to leave here and visit different Districts."

I laugh, "Well District Twelve, isn't really good for capitol tourism, but Effie says District Four is nice." Portia smiles. Then the three of us stand and look out over the capitol. We're really high up and you can see the mountains we traveled under just this morning.

Soon every one is in for dinner, we leave the balcony and go to eat. I feel my stomach grumble and I realize how hungry I really am.

"So Effie, I hear you…" Portia begins some small talk. I try to listen, but decide to do exactly what Katniss is doing and zone out. The food is yet again delicious as I take big bites of it. I try to listen again when they take our plates away.

"Cinna what gave you the idea for fire?" Effie asks as the conversation moves to our costumes.

"I always felt so sorry for District Twelve, so when I got hired I asked for them immediately. I had tons of ideas, but the only one that really stuck out was this one. The fire was hard to make, but totally worth it. In the end it really helps these guys." He gestures towards Katniss and I.

One of the servers comes to our table with a huge cake. Beautifully crafted, but I bet I could've done just as good of a job, maybe better. The server sets the cake on fire and it blazes to life. Katniss finally speaks after only a few comments the whole night, "_What makes it burn? Is it alcohol? That's the last thing I wa- oh! I know you!" _The servant looks worried and does not say anything and she quickly hurries away. How could Katniss know some one from the capitol? It's completely impossible. All of the adults stare at her as if she's crazy. Katniss looks back at them sheepishly.

"_Don't be stupid Katniss. How could you possibly know an avox? The very thought." _Effie says to Katniss. Avox? What is that? Some word for servant here in the capitol?

Katniss asks what I was wondering, "_What's an avox?"_

Haymitch speaks up answering the question that Effie clearly did not want to answer, "_Some one who committed a crime. They cut her tongue so she can't speak." _I take it back about just the career districts being barbaric; it's the capitol as well. Although, their technology is far ahead, the way they punish is medieval. They make people mute, and then make them work as servants? It's horrible, they probably never get to express emotions, "_She's probably a traitor of some sort. Not likely to know her."_

_"And even if you did, you're not to speak to one of them unless it's to give an order." _Effie says, exasperated.

Katniss looks concerned, and I know somehow, she actually does know this girl. I'll find out later how, but I need to give her an out, "_No, I guess not, I just—" _She tries to come up with something on her own, but I know she needs my help.

I snap my fingers, a plan forming in my head, "_Delly Cartwright. That's who it is. I kept thinking she looked familiar as well. Then I realized she's a dead ringer for Delly."_ The truth was Delly looked nothing like that small stature avox, but it's not like anyone else knows who she really is. Katniss does of course which is why her eyes flash in panic before she catches on.

Katniss sighs playing along, "_Of course, that's who I was thinking of. It must be the hair."_ Delly's blonde hair was nothing like the red hair that the avox had, but it works.

I add more, "_Something about the eyes too."_ And we've sold it. Every one completely believes us. Everyone lets out the breath they were holding in and dig into the cake. The cake is very good and reminds me of home. When were all done and we've watched the opening ceremonies, Katniss and I walk together down to our rooms. We get to her room and I block her from getting in.

"_So, Delly Cartwright. Imagine finding her lookalike here." _Katniss searches my face pondering if she should tell me or not. She stands there for a while just thinking about it. I give her a way out, "_Have you been on the roof yet? Cinna showed me. You can practically see the whole city. The wind's a bit loud, though." _She gets what I'm saying; no one will hear us.

"_Can we just go up?_" she almost sounds too eager.

"_Sure, come on." _Once we get up there I let her take it in for a minute. I need to take it in as well, the stars are twinkling overhead and all the tall buildings are twinkling as well. It's absolutely breath taking, there's nothing quite like this back home. "_I asked Cinna why they let us up here. Weren't they worried that some of the tributes might decide to jump right over the side?"_

_ "What'd did he say?" _Katniss asks, totally intrigued.

"_You can't," _I put my hand over the edge, hoping this won't be too painful. There's a loud zap and my hand is thrown hurt a little but not too much. "_Some sort of electric field throws you back on the roof."_

Katniss shakes her head, "_Always worried about our safety." _She pauses and looks around more, probably wanting to get to the point. I wanted to get to the point as well, how could Katniss know a capitol fugitive? "_Do you think they're watching us now?"_ They probably were; I wouldn't be surprised if they were broadcasting it to the capitol as well.

"_Maybe," _I look around the roof trying to find a less open place. My eyes fall on the garden where there are wind chimes, which would cover up the noise, and trees, which might block any cameras they have up here. "_Come see the garden."_

Katniss follows me. She looks at the flowers for just a minute. I really hope she'll begin soon, my eyes are beginning to droop. "_We were hunting in the woods one day. Hidden waiting for game."_ She begins her story. I try not to interrupt too much as I listen. Gale and her were hunting, and they saw that girl and a boy running. They looked homeless, and hopeless. They were running for their lives. Katniss tells me that a hovercraft showed up out of nowhere grabbing the girl and spearing the boy.

By the end of the story Katniss is shivering I decide to do what any gentleman would do and give her my jacket. Katniss hesitates for a second not sure if she wants it. I don't really care if she wants it or not, I don't want her to be cold. I put it over her shoulders and zip it up; she looks warmer almost instantly.

"_They were from here?"_ I ask about the two she saw that day. She nods, why would the capitol want them if they weren't? "_Where do you suppose they were going?"_

"_I don't know that,"_ she pauses, "_Or why would they leave here?"_ That's a good question. I'm sure since the day your born in the capitol, they brainwash you to believe it's the best thing ever. Really capitol people are very content where they are. If I had to choose between here and District Twelve, District Twelve would be my obvious choice.

"_I would leave here."_ I say before realizing, they might be listening to this conversation. I try to fix it with a laugh and, "_I'd go home now if they let me. But you have to admit, the food's prime." _I cover it up with a joke, but Katniss knows my true meaning. It's late and my eyes are beginning to get dangerously heavy, and with out my jacket I'm freezing, "_It's getting chilly. We better go in." _I say and we go inside_._

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**I hope you liked it! Don't forget to review on the way out!**


	9. Chapter 9

**Here's the next chapter! And I was informed I made a very stupid mistake, a few chapters back I said Katniss had brown eyes, but we all know she has Grey seam eyes! Anyways I hope you enjoy. Any direct quotes from THG are in Italics!**

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**CH. 9**

As we enter the building a chill runs up my spine, the cold is escaping from my body and being replaced with warmth. I decide to ask Katniss about Gale, to see if she has any real feelings for him, _"Your friend Gale,"_ I say as if I've barely ever seen him, "_He's the one who took your sister at the reaping?"_ Now that was a good one on my part, it's as if I've never met him.

_"Yes, do you know him?"_ Katniss asks, but she probably thinks she already knows the answer. She probably thinks I don't know him, but in reality he comes into the bakery almost every day. Some times I'm the one doing the trading, if my dad is busy or out of the store.

"_Not really. I hear the girls talk about him a lot. I thought he was your cousin or something. You favor each other."_ Now this is where I'll get my answer if she over reacts in the way she says no, it means they have a thing, but if she just tells me nonchalantly it means their just friends.

_ "No we're not related."_ She says nonchalantly. So if I'm right I've been jealous of just a good friend. Even though I know this, I still have jealousy towards Gale, he gets to be with her for hours each day, and she really truly trusts him. At least he gets some sort of love from Katniss; I get none.

"_Did he come to say good bye to you?"_ I'm sure of her answer to this one, it seems as if they protect each other.

"_Yes, so did your father. He brought me cookies."_ This surprises me a little bit, but not too much. My dad has always liked the Everdeen girls. He once was in love with their mother. He always tries to silently protect them in a way. If my mom found out she'd kill him. She doesn't like the poor, she believes they should work their way up, but that's close to impossible in District Twelve, unless you're a victor.

"_Really? Well, he likes you and your sister. I think he wishes he had a daughter instead of a houseful of boys." _Katniss doesn't really respond to this, she actually looks pretty freaked out by it, "_He knew your mother when they were kids."_ She's very taken aback by that one, she obviously was never told of that relationship. She tries to hide her surprise with a comment.

"_Oh yes, she grew up in town." _Her mother must have really loved her father, because you don't just move to the seam for fun. People that grow up in the city don't usually have a yearning for poverty, I don't think the people in the seam like it that much either. We reach her door and she hands me my jacket. "_See you in the morning then."_

I almost say I love you, but I catch myself, "_See you." _I say and I make my way towards my room. When I get there I fall asleep instantly as my head hits the pillow.

…

I see her running from something, her clothes torn, eyes wild, running for her life. She calls out, but I can't hear her. It gets louder and I can make it out, "Help!" she screams, I want to help her, I really do. I've seen her before, the brown hair, grey eyes, who is she? She's lost and hopeless. She spots me and she screams louder, "Help!" Her features focus into view, and it's her. It's Katniss running. She recognizes me, "Peeta! Help!" I try to run towards her, to find out what's wrong, to help her. My legs won't move; I'm frozen and helpless. "Katniss!" I scream. She stops and turns around looking at me. Then a hovercraft comes out of nowhere, grabbing her, pulling her. "Peeta! Peeta! Help!"

….

I jolt awake from the terrible nightmare. My dream was scary and I hope it wasn't foreshadowing to the Games. All I wanted to do was help her, but I couldn't. What if I'm totally worthless to her? What if I can't help her when she most needs it? What if I'm not enough?

My mind is still in the dream so it's hard to get up. I move my legs, making sure I still can. Making sure my dream wasn't a reality. I stretch out, stretching away the fear from my joints. I breathe in deeply emptying my lungs of the silent screams.

Once I finally get to the shower I'm met with another dilemma, the shower is totally confusing. It asks me questions and gives me options. I don't really know what it's asking. I just push random buttons. Once I'm done with that, I'm put through an excruciating shower. It scrubs me roughly and makes me smell like roses, the water is way to hot. I sit through it anyways, thinking of all the things that could go wrong in the games. I could get killed on the first day, and not be there to protect Katniss. I could starve to death and not be able to help Katniss. So many things could go wrong; it's absolutely petrifying.

The shower finally finishes by drying me off. On my bed are clothes, which I decide are probably what I'm supposed to wear for training. I throw them on, just in time for my stomach to begin to grumble. The nightmare made me famished, and even though I've been eating more than I ever have, I've also been more hungry than I've ever been.

On my way to the dining room I catch up with Haymitch, "Good morning Peeta, how are you this morning?"

"I could be better, but it is what it is." I answer because truthfully after that dream I don't feel so hot. Once in the dining room I'm welcomed with the smell of amazing food. I see Katniss sitting at the table digging in. She's wearing the same outfit as me; you'd think we were twins. I get my own plate piled high with food, and a nice cup of hot chocolate before sitting down. We eat in silence, the tributes and their mentor. Haymitch eats plenty as Katniss and I wait for him to begin. He finishes his meal with a gulp of alcohol and begins.

"_So let's get down to business. Training. First off, if you like, Ill coach you separately. Decide now."_

I'm so happy when Katniss answers back, "_Why would you coach us separately?" _I need to know her strategies, so I can help her.

"_Say if you had a secret skill you don't want the other to know about."_ Haymitch says. I definitely have known of those, unless you count my frosting skills. Katniss and I look at each other, I don't think she has one either.

"_I don't have any secret skills. And I already know what yours is right? I mean, I've eaten enough of your squirrels." _Katniss blushes slightly.

"_You can coach us together."_ She says, I agree with a nod.

"_All right, so give me some idea of what you can do," _Haymitch says. That's a trick question because I don't really have any special skills, which does make it harder to help Katniss.

"_I can't do anything. Unless you count baking bread."_ I say.

"_Sorry, I don't. Katniss I already know you're handy with a knife." _Haymitch says.

Katniss speaks up, "_Not really. But I can hunt, with a bow and arrow."_ She could do amazing things with that bow and arrow, the way she kills squirrels is pro.

"_And you're good?"_ Haymitch asks.

Katniss really thinks about it before saying, "_I'm alright." _Please! She has to give herself more credit. Haymitch needs to know her full ability.

So I decide to say something, "_She's excellent. My father buys her squirrels. He always comments on how the arrows never pierce the body. She hits every one in the eye. It's the same with rabbits she sells to the butcher. She can even bring down deer."_ I remember Katniss and Gale dragging a deer through town, people trying to chop off pieces and claim them as their own. I felt bad for them as they tried to be nice, but all they really wanted was to sell it to the butcher.

"_What are you doing?"_ Katniss asks, mad at me. She should not be mad, Haymitch had to know. If she wasn't going to tell him I was.

"_What are you doing?" _I ask, "_If he's going to help you, he has to know what your capable of. Don't underrate yourself." _Furry fills her eyes; it's actually kind of scary. This shouldn't make her mad. What am I saying? This is Katniss, she's different and that's why I love her.

"_What about you?" _What about me? There's nothing really to tell, "_I've seen you in the market. You can lift hundred-pound bags of flour. Tell him that. That's not nothing." _

_ "Yes, and I'm sure the arena will be full of bags of flour for me to chuck at people." _She's beginning to irritate me; just being strong doesn't really help me. What am I supposed to do, lift a person up and throw them on the ground? They'll stab me before that happens. "_It's not like being able to use a weapon. You know it isn't." _She rolls her eyes at me, knowing I'm speaking the truth.

She looks to Haymitch, "_He can wrestle. He came in second in our school competition last year, only after his brother."_

_ "What use is that? How many times have you seen someone wrestle someone to death?"_ I fight back.

"_There's always hand-to-hand combat. All you need is to come up with a knife, and you'll at least stand a chance. If I get jumped, I'm dead!"_ How can she not see, how horribly in adequate I am for these games, she's ten times better than me.

"_But you won't! You'll be living up in some tree eating raw squirrels and picking off people with arrows. You know what my mother said to me when she came to say goodbye, as if to cheer me up, she says maybe District Twelve will finally have a winner. Then I realized, she didn't mean me, she meant you!" _I just can't take this anymore. She needs to know that I have no chance, no chance like she does. She needs to know I barely have any skills. She just needs to know!

"_Oh she meant you." _Katniss says with dismissal.

"_She said, ' She's a survivor that one.' She is." _If my mom doesn't believe in me, Katniss shouldn't either. I don't even know why she cares.

"_But only because someone helped me." _Katniss says quietly.

I'm thrown back five years ago, it was rainy and my dad was away. My mother was worried we wouldn't have enough bread so we were baking late into the night. My mother saw someone rummaging through our garbage.

"Who does she think she is, that seam girl?" My mom said disgusted. I looked out the window to see Katniss. She looked sick and starving, only a couple months before her father had died. I wanted so badly to go help her, but my mom beat me to the punch. Running out of the shop, she went and yelled at her. I followed, peaking behind my mom's apron. As my mom closed the door I watched as Katniss went and sat by a tree. Soaking wet, I'm sure there were tears streaming down her face. I quickly devised a plan. I pushed two loaves into the fire too far. Leaving them there so they would get burnt enough. My mother saw the bread.

"Peeta! What are you doing? It's burnt, no one in their right mind would buy this." I stood there as her hand came across my face, leaving a stinging sensation on my face. "Go give it to the pigs." I ran out, happy that my plan had worked. I acted as if I was giving it to the pigs and then threw it towards Katniss. I quickly went back in.

I come back to reality, Katniss is staring at a roll in her hands, "_People will help you in the arena. They'll be tripping over each other to sponsor you."_ The way the Capitol people were when she blew them kisses was crazy. They love her; no doubt she'll have sponsors.

"_No more than you," _She says.

"_She has no idea. The effect she can have." _I say to Haymitch.

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**So there might be one more chapter tonight, but I don't know. I'm leaving on a 20 day trip tomorrow and I'm not sure if I'll be able to post anymore, if we're lucky you might get one or two chapters. Which if you guys review a lot it will encourage me even more! So review. I hope I don't loose a lot of readers while I'm on vacation. Promise you'll come back? I'm super excited for my vacation! Review on the way out!**


	10. Chapter 10

**So I wrote one more chapter before my trip, but it's a shorter one. I hope you like it! And sense I might not be posting for a while, you might want to follow it so you know when to come back! :) Enjoy! I don't own THG any direct quotes are in italics!**

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**Ch. 10**

There's an awkward silence in which many memories flash through my head. They are moments in my life in which Katniss was in them. Moments I try hard to not forget, but I'm sure Katniss has long forgotten them.

One is her walking to school, people smiling and waving to her. She just walks past only noticing a few. People in town loved her father, and they adored Prim, but there always was a respect for Katniss.

Another one flashes through my mind. Katniss was looking particularly weak, as if she wasn't getting enough food that month. Trying to bargain with my father. My father giving her three loaves in exchange for three skinny squirrels. My mom was not too happy about that one.

One more flashes before the silence ends, Katniss staring at me intently, as if trying to get my attention, but when I look towards her she looks away. She bends down picking up a dandelion before running away.

I'm not sure why all of these flash through my mind. Maybe my last comment, or maybe it was my subconscious telling me something, but I do know one thing. These memories really calm my nerves. Leaching all the anger from my body away. Soon I'm not angry with Katniss anymore. She probably thought I was working some strange strategy and was trying to throw it back in my face. I have to remember she does not know of my feelings for her.

Haymitch picks up from the awkward silence that happened after our fight, "_Well then. Well, well, well. Katniss, there's no guarantee there'll be bows and arrows in the arena, but during your private session with the Gamemakers, show them what you can do. Until then stay clear of archery. Are you any good at trapping?" _Haymitch clearly does not want others to know of Katniss' skill. It seems to be a very smart move, that way the other tributes will believe Katniss has no real skill, but once in the arena they'll realize how awesome she really is at archery.

"_I know a few basic snares," _she says quietly, not quite over our little tiff.

"_That may be significant in terms of food,"_ That's another thing, I have no skill of finding my own food. I'm used to going to the butcher and buying it. What I'm not used to is going out to the woods and hunting for it. Haymitch turns to me, "_And, Peeta, she's right, never underestimate strength in the arena. Very often, physical power tilts the advantage to a player. In the Training Center, they will have weights, but don't reveal how much you can lift in front of the other tributes. The plan's the same for both of you. You go to group training. Spend the time trying to learn something you don't know. Throw a spear. Swing a mace. Learn to tie a decent knot. Save showing what you're best at until your private sessions. Are we clear?" _I will not question Haymitch, besides the plan sounds pretty good. So I nod along with Katniss.

"_One last thing, " _Haymitch says_, "In public, I want you by each other's side every minute," _Katniss starts to say something, and I act like I don't like it either, but in all honesty the plan sounds terrific to me. Stay by Katniss' side all day, while being able to talk to her and get to know her, sounds pretty amazing. Haymitch gets aggravated, "_Every minute! It's not open for discussion! You agreed to do as I said! You will be together, you will appear amiable to each other. Now get out. Meet Effie at the elevator at ten for training."_

Katniss sulks back to her room making a point to slam the door. It does hurt a little, but I try to not care what Katniss does in anger. When he's sure Katniss won't be coming out until ten, Haymitch speaks up, "I was joking the other day, but now I'm sure of it. Your in love her aren't you?" He caught me as well. Soon even Effie will know and my cover will be blown.

"Is it really that obvious?" I ask sitting back down at the table.

Haymitch gives a laugh, "No, but I once had eyes like that for a girl. I had it bad," He sighs, his mind in a totally different time. I wonder what happened to that girl, why didn't Haymitch marry her? "How long have you liked her?"

I sigh thinking back to the first time I saw her on the first day of kindergarten. It was almost an instant connection for me; I just knew I had to be her friend. As I grew my feelings grew for her as well, by fourth grade I was head over heals for her. Just think how close we would have been if I had asked her to be my friend on the first day of kindergarten. Maybe we wouldn't have been reaped, but that was years ago, I can't live my life with what ifs can I?

"It's been a long time," I answer back, " I've just never had the guts to tell her. Now I'm here, and all I want to do it protect her. That's why when she underrated herself I had to tell you. I've never seen her shoot, but with the game she trades us it's amazing. To hear her say she was only okay made me want to scream! Why would she do that? Haymitch I love her, just please help me, help her."

Haymitch pauses, "Listen I have to think about this one, but my wheels are turning. We'll have a plan. Okay? Now go tidy up for training. Effie doesn't like being late." Haymitch gets up taking a glass of alcohol with him. I probably should have told him when he asked in the first place. That way we could have got the wheel turning a while ago.

I go to my room and do exactly what Haymitch told me to do; I wash up. After telling Cinna and Haymitch I feel a major weight lifted off my chest. Now that people know I feel better. I've been holding it in for so long. It feels so good to know that maybe I will be able to help Katniss and that maybe I can save her life.

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**Last chapter before my long trip. Might want to follow my story :) Or you know review it. Might write another chapter on my trip if you review a lot :) Good night, it's late where I am and I'm tired! Review on the way out :)**


	11. Chapter 11

**I'm back! Don't get to excited :) Haha Just kidding, but anyways, I hope you like this next chapter :) It's not my best, but I think it's pretty good. I don't own THG so any direct quotes are in italics. :) Enjoy!**

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**Ch.11**

We're all a lot alike. I think as we stand there, listening to Atala, a lady who is explaining what we can and can't do in training. I look at all the tributes, tall, short, extremely skinny, well fed, scared, proud; We're all so different, but all so the same. We all have to die within a matter of weeks, with the exception of one; we all have nothing to change that; and even though the careers have trained their whole lives, there is still fear inside every one of us. The worst part about it is the people we love most have to watch.

So we stand hear all fearful, hoping to gain at least a little bit more knowledge about surviving before going in. Except I'm the only one not hoping to leave alive. What I'm hoping for is to get Katniss out alive; the first District Twelve victor in twenty-four years. I definitely need some more skills to do that. You can't go into the arena with no knowledge at all and expect to make it far.

Katniss wants to do knot tying first. I have to say, it would be a very valuable skill. It would help get food and trapping other tributes. Except for the fact that I'm lost. The trainer here is mesmerized by Katniss though. Her slender fingers tying snares easier than any other tribute has probably done before.

"Wow, your good I whisper over." She looks up from a trap she's trying, something the trainer showed her. She looks surprised I talked at all.

"Oh, well Gale's a lot better, but he's taught me over the years." She goes back to the trap. She clearly is interested with that and does not want to talk. So I go back to mine, a simple snare, one that Katniss had probably learned ages ago. My fingers fumble, but I work through it. I look around to see other tributes, throwing knives, swinging swords, shooting the bow and arrow. They're clearly trying to intimidate. Especially the careers, who look at the others and laugh. I would love to see their faces when Katniss killed a squirrel, right through the eye, or when she shot the deer, with one shot. They don't know who they're dealing with. Katniss finishes the trap and looks to the clock. It's been about an hour. Which seems to be enough for her.

"Next station?" She says with a sigh, like it was trouble to talk to me. I know she wasn't happy about having me by her side the whole day, but she didn't have to be rude about it.

Since she picked this one, I decide on the next one, "Camouflage?" I've wanted to do this since we first walked in. They had all sorts of different materials over there. I knew I could paint my arm like I could frost a cake. It had to have the same relaxing sensation to it as well; it might even make it feel like home. Even though that was mortally possible, but with Katniss at my side and painting materials in my hands, it might come close.

"That sounds great." Katniss says, nicer, catching herself on the rudeness of the last comment. She and I get up moving along as a small girl from district eleven, Rue, I think it was, moves into the knot tying station.

Camouflaging myself felt normal, like my arm was a cake and I just had to create a masterpiece out of it. It took me back to District Twelve, people coming in and out, my mom yelling at my brothers, and me in my own little world, creating something beautiful in a filthy place. The trainer there loved me, how well I was doing. She'd show me a picture and I'd match my arm to it. She praised me like the knot tying trainer praised Katniss.

I wonder if Katniss knows my main job at the bakery. Does she know the giant masterpieces in the window are mine? I see her sister, Prim, walk by a lot to admire them. She stands outside the window, mouth wide open, marveling at their beauty. Sometimes Katniss is with her, sometimes not, but when she is, they make her smile as well. It might just be that they make her sister happy, but I hope it's my work that gives her joy. That maybe something that I did made her happy.

"_I do the cakes."_ I look up to see Katniss, staring at another tribute spearing a dummy. She looks over, surprised, that I talked during my meticulous work. I dip my hand in berry juice, smearing it to look like leaves.

"_The cakes? What cakes?" _I finish the camouflage that I was currently working on.

"_At home. The iced ones, for the bakery." _Her face flashes of recognition, her grey eyes going back home, outside the bakery. She comes back to now, the harsh reality of the games. Her eyes become annoyed almost as she looks at my arm. It amazes me how little tiny things like this can annoy her.

"_It's lovely. If only you could frost someone to death,"_ A snarky comment, just like snarky Katniss. Oh how I wish those snarky comments weren't directed at me, but some one else and that instead of not liking me, she loved me, but of course that's way too much to ask for.

"How was training today?" Haymitch asks me after Katniss had left for bed. She didn't talk to me much at all the rest of the day, only when she had too. Lunch was painful. We basically sat and stared at each other, listening to the Careers laugh behind us. She said a couple things though.

…

"Your good at camouflage. Prim really enjoys your cakes." She says after taking a bite of the succulent capitol food.

"Yeah, well I like to see people smile at my cakes. I like to think I make a lot of peoples day, by just putting them in the window." She takes another bite, not saying anything else. She was really hard to keep a conversation with and it was getting tiring.

"The food is really good today. I really like this pasta." I point to my noodles, which were drowning in sauce. She nods, taking another bite. I had nothing else to say, really talking about anything else would be hard. If we talked about home, we'd both end up crying, if we talked about the arena, what's to come, it's too scary. So I don't say much else either until lunch is up, "Fire starting station?" I say

"Sure," she says back and we're on our way.

…

"Haymitch it was painful I try to talk to her, but she won't respond! She's like not listening at all. Why can't she see I'm trying? Shouldn't she try as well?" Haymitch laughs, like he's known Katniss for ages. Like of course she would do that, she's Katniss! I look at him exasperated.

"Well you knew that about her, didn't you? I mean if you've liked a girl that long you have to know she isn't much of a people person." I did know that, at school she normally ate by herself, or with Madge, the mayors daughter, but even then they didn't talk too much. I just thought that maybe, if we were trying to look like a team she would try a little harder. I know she didn't like the idea, but it's what Haymitch wanted us to do. She should listen to him.

"Look I'll talk to her tomorrow, just keep on trying, you'll get through to her. You're a good guy." Haymitch leaves. I'm left alone in the dining room with an avox, who walks silently around cleaning the tables and such.

What did Haymitch mean, I'm a good guy? Like if I try hard enough, maybe Katniss will like me back. Now that's a funny joke, because I already know, that will never happen.

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**Review on your way out, and also follow. I hope you liked it! Review!**


	12. Chapter 12

**Hey Guys! I wrote the next chapter before going to bed! I like this one, and I hope you will too! Enjoy! I do not own THG any direct quotes are in italics!**

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**Ch. 12**

"Peeta, Peeta. Wake up." I jolt awake to find Katniss. Her grey eyes pouring into mine. Her eyes search my face for something, fright? Hope? I'm not sure, but finally her eyes settle on mine. Boring into mine. It was something I've only dreamed of. She reaches over to turn on a lamp, instantly making the darkness go away. I sit there in between sleep and consciousness, not really sure what's going on.

"Katniss," I whisper, sure that Haymitch or Effie will hear and come running in, "What- Why are you here?" She stays silent for a few minutes, contemplating something. Her hair is in a braid that the Katniss from District Twelve wore everyday, but Hunger Games Katniss didn't wear as much. She leans herself against the headrest of my bed, making herself comfortable. She doesn't look like she's slept, but that she has been up all night, tossing and turning.

"Peeta?" She whispers making sure I'm there. Like maybe I had disappeared, like this was all a dream, " I'm sorry for being so rude to you on the first day of training. I just have all these feelings inside of me, coursing through my veins, seizing my heart. I've never really liked some one like this before. I didn't know how to act." She stops, leaving me in utter confusion. Feelings? Liked someone?

"What feelings are you talking about?" She looks over confused, her grey eyes squinting. She reaches and touches me.

"Peeta, Peeta. I need to talk to you wake up! Wake up." She starts to yell. Haymitch has to hear it.

"Katniss I'm awake, I'm here." I say.

Her voice begins to morph turning into my drunken mentors voice, "Peeta I'm serious! Get up. I've devised half of the plan."

This time I really jolt awake, but not to Katniss' pure beauty, but Haymitch's brutal reality of face. My lights are already on, and I feel well rested, unlike in my dream, I felt restless and tired. We'd been through three days of training; today was the day of our private sessions. I must say Katniss actually opened up on the second day. She actually responded, sometimes even starting conversation herself.

The hard part was, it was all an act for her, and if I tried to talk to her out of training she'd shoot me down. Leaving me yet again hopeless. Although I have learned many new things about her, and her hunting adventures. I always knew she loved Prim, but I didn't realize just how far that love actually went. I know she volunteered for her, but Katniss would've done more for her if that were even humanly possible. Her and Gale were also really close, both losing their fathers in the same explosion, both having to support their families, they had a common ground. I'd never be able to relate to Katniss on these things. My dad has always been there, our income has always been steady. I try to imagine myself in Katniss' circumstances, but I can't even fathom it.

"Look who finally decides to wake up." Haymitch laughs at me, his harsh breath making it up my nose. He also makes himself comfortable on my bed, like Katniss did in my dream. He leans back breathing in deeply, and all I really want him to do is leave. "I swear they give you guys better beds. It's like I'm the old man here, give me the good bed. Not these fools" He says to the capitol people that aren't really there.

"So, why are you here again?" I ask, just wanting to go take a nice hot shower. Haymitch sighs.

"Oh yeah, that. I've got half a plan on the Katniss situation. You'll want to get in with the careers-"

"No, no, no, no, no. The whole district will hate me, and I'll hate myself. I don't want to die a loser like them." If there's anything I hate more than the Games, it's the careers. I mean really you spent your whole life wishing you could go kill some peers? It sickens me, and it definitely is not me. I don't know what Haymitch is thinking.

"Listen, calm down. I know what I'm talking about." He stops to take a drink, of something dark. Which does not help him on his case.

"Shouldn't I be with her if I want to help her?" He shakes his head violently.

"You should be the one to know she works alone. It's her mojo, and you of all people would slow her down. She's fast and quick and she knows what she's doing. You don't. The careers do, they'll keep you alive, and I'm telling you they do not like her. If you're with them you'll stay alive and you can lead them away from her. You know how she works; you can help her if she gets in a tough situation. I've talked to Finnick, the district four mentor, and he said he'd have to talk to the other Careers, but he likes the idea. You just have to show them what you've got. You have to get at least an eight today." Eight? Is he kidding? Because all I was going to do was throw some weights around and that definitely will not get me an eight.

"You said it was a half plan?" I ask skeptically, it sounded like a full plan to me. Nothing else about it.

"Yeah I'll tell you the rest tomorrow, when you meet with Effie and I." Right, that, for the interviews. I can't wait for Effie Trinket to tell me how to walk, and for Haymitch Abernathy to tell me how to talk. I already learned those things when I was one, but I guess it isn't good enough for the capitol. Nothing ever is.

"But I'll be with Katniss, we are training together right?"

"I'll tell her that we should train you guys separately, problem solved." He gets up my bed to leave. "Oh and Peeta, stop dreaming about Katniss." Great I was sleep talking. It's not that it embarrassed me too much though, Haymitch already knows about it, and he probably dreamed about his past sweetheart as well.

The thing I was worried about was having to work with the careers. It was basically against everything I believed in. The other districts secretly pride themselves on not fully giving into the capitol. I mean we go to the Games because we have to, we watch them because we're forced to, but the Career districts don't. They take pride in sending their kids off to slaughter for the Capitol's enjoyment. They train their kids to want to go. When any of the other districts join to the Careers, all of District Twelve hate them. It's like they don't deserve to live because really all the careers want to do is kill and be killed, just to have the possibility of winning.

Haymitch knows the only way I'll join them is for Katniss. That's the only reason I'm doing it, is to help her. I know that in my core, I'll never really be a career; I'll be a double agent. Fighting for Katniss' life. I hope Haymitch will tell her when she wins. I hope he'll tell her of my undying love, and of my sacrifice, just so she could live.

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	13. Chapter 13

**Hey guys! Next Chapter! Yay! So I like this one, a lot! Enjoy. You guys know by now, and direct quotes in italics because I don't own THG**

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**Ch. 13**

"Peeta honey, don't forget to be strong!" My mom looked right in my eyes before going to wrestle. If there's one thing my mom hates, it's losing. She always told me to be strong, to keep on fighting even when the going got hard. Whenever I'm nervous or anxious, or even a little bit fear is coursing through my veins, I picture my mom. Not the prettiest or the smartest or even the nicest, but she was my mom. I picture her telling me to stay strong. I don't know why it works, but it does. It makes me calm; it urges me to go on, and to stay strong.

"Peeta Mellark, District Twelve." I speak up loud to the Gamemakers who in all honesty probably didn't hear what I just said. A few, the ones that really weren't up for chitchat were looking at me. Waiting for me do something.

I have to get an eight that is clear. It's for Katniss, so I can get in with the Careers, for Katniss.

"Go on boy." One of the Gamemakers whispers, barely audible. He was old, and recognizable. He used to be the head. He was the one that put Haymitch through torture in the 50th Hunger Games; only a few years ago did he step down and have Seneca Crane take his spot. I couldn't quite place his name, but I knew he was important. After all, he was the only one really watching. This was a show for him it seems; I must show him all my strength. How powerful I really am. I go to pick up the heaviest weight they have, 250 pounds, and I pick it up as if it were a feather. The Gamemaker actually watching, just stares ahead, still watching me, but almost as if he was bored. I swing it above my head, around and around. I get more people to watch, but very few. Others chatting and eating, even singing, they don't really care about how strong I am. They only care that soon I'll be dead. Put on a long list of forgotten tributes, no longer here, but somewhere else. Somewhere free of these cruel games. Somewhere free of having to prove yourself to a bunch of snobby strangers who don't really care.

I go on in my routine throwing weights, picking them up, swinging them around. Then I'm done. The Gamemaker looks down on his sheet, searching for my name.

"Thank you Peeta, you may leave." He waves his hand, dismissing me. It wasn't hard for me doing all that, but I just hope it was enough.

"So do you think you got an eight?" Haymitch asks me immediately after walking in.

"Haymitch leave the boy alone, he just got done." Effie looks over to Haymitch sternly then to me, "So Peeta how did it go?" They're all too eager. Effie is just excited because she finally got some good tributes, and Haymitch wants to know so he can finally get some one good enough to get in with the careers. They are like little children with new toys.

"What happened to don't bother him Effie?" Haymitch says snottily to Effie, mimicking her high-pitched capitol accent. I go to sit on the couch before saying anything.

"Honestly I can't say how I did, I mean I did my best, but they weren't really watching. There was only one guy really paying attention and he didn't even remember my name."

"Oh please don't be silly Peeta, everyone knows your name, you were on fire and you lived to tell about it. It was probably just some silly act." Effie laughs, making me feel self conscious, I don't really want the whole country to know my name. I'm only famous because I'm going off to die. It makes no sense.

"Listen, if you showed them how strong you are, it will be enough." I nod, not knowing what else to say, except sit here in silence.

"Haymitch seriously, act like a-" Katniss comes zooming out of the elevator. Tears beginning to spring from her eyes, "Katniss! Honey, are you okay?" Effie runs after her only to get the door slammed in her face. Katniss was probably upset no one was watching her like what happened to me. She probably had even less people watching. It's one the many perks about being from District Twelve; you're always last.

"Looks like she had a fun time." Haymitch murmurs, talking a drink of who knows what. Effie comes back.

"I swear, she better not have messed up. I mean if she did one thing to harm my name." Effie, always thinking about herself. She doesn't care that Katniss is probably full out sobbing. Disappointed in whatever just happened. Katniss really needs to win, and she knows that, she really has been trying her hardest.

I get up to go comfort her. To calm her tears, hold her in my arms.

"Peeta, where are you going?" Haymitch asks getting up and grabbing me. He pulls me back making me sit back down on the couch.

"To calm her down, she's sad." I say looking him in the eyes. She doesn't have Gale, or Prim, or even her mother. At least we live in the same place. Effie would never really be able to calm her down and Haymitch isn't gentle enough. I'm what she needs; she's what I need.

"You're the last person she wants right now. You're just another person with potential to kill her when you get in the arena. She doesn't know." Haymitch looks me in the eyes. Is that really what I am to her? Just another tribute? Just another killer? How can it be that she's my everything and I'm one of her enemies? Of course I'd never be able to comfort her. With in a matter of days, we'll be thrown into an arena, and Katniss wants to get out with all her power. For her sister, for Gale, maybe even her mother. All the people that aren't here to comfort her today are the ones she's fighting for. I'm just a roadblock, another person that must die for her to go back home. That's all I ever was to her, another person in her way that she must deal with. Even with our conversations over lunch, and the couple of laughs we shared while training, I was still just a roadblock.

"But she's my everything." I whisper. Letting all my emotions show.

"She'll know soon enough, just you wait." Haymitch pats me on the back as he leaves. I get up myself as well, not going to comfort Katniss this time, but to comfort myself. I make my way to my room. In the background I hear pounding on the door, Katniss yelling for them to go away, but it's distant. Like I'm not just ten feet away. My heart is broken, and my eyes are drowning. "Don't forget to be strong!" I hear my mom; over and over again it goes through my head, calming me bit by bit, but not really taking away the pain.

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**Did you like it? I hope you did, it's kind of sad :'( anyways, I would be so happy if you reviewed, followed, or favorited! Thanks :)**


	14. Chapter 14

**Next Chapter! I hope you like it! I don't own THG any direct quotes are in italics.**

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**Ch. 14**

"_I shot an arrow at the Gamemakers."_ Katniss lets out at dinner. It was awhile before I finally walked out of my room and even longer for Katniss. But after this explanation I know exactly why, it took all my strength not to drop my jaw. I was expecting something along the lines of, I shot some arrows and the Gamemakers paid zero attention. Not this, not something so risky. She risks getting a zero, if that was even possible. No sponsors, nothing, Katniss was virtually on her own, except she didn't know about me helping her.

Everyone reacted exactly the same. Forks dropped, mouths open, it's as if we rehearsed it. Except none of us knew it would be this bad, this dramatic.

Effie gasps, "_You what?"_ She says, good old Effie. She'd never do anything against the capitol, not even a snotty remark. Heck, she was the Capitol. It was in her blood, born and raised. And to have someone disrespect a Gamemaker, especially one of her tributes, was unspeakable.

_" I shot an arrow at them," _Katniss says, more firm in her words this time, "_Not exactly at them. In their direction. It's like Peeta said, I was shooting and they were ignoring me and I just… I just lost my head, so I shot an apple out of their stupid roast pig's mouth." _Good old Katniss. I knew she had to be impulsive, but I didn't know it was this severe. I mean yeah, it annoyed me; they could at least give me ten minutes, but not enough for me to harm myself in the process. I hear Capitol punishment is harsh. I look to see an avox. What'd they do, something as intense as treason or something as simple as running a red light? I'm not sure, but I do know they're silenced for life, for probably something pretty stupid.

What will they do to Katniss? Nothing, I think, because we're already going to die. Once she's in the Gamemakers can do anything, cause a flash flood, set a fire, or send a tribute in her direction. Her death is in their hands, anything they want to do, they can do to her. I'll have to try my best to stop them, just one more thing added to my list.

I come back to the conversation after losing myself in thought for a few seconds, "_I dismissed myself." _Katniss says, guilt and fear, lacing her voice, weighing her down.

"_Well that's that."_ Haymitch doesn't really seem to care. He just picks up a roll and butters it.

_"Do you think they'll arrest me?"_ Katniss asks, again her voice is fearful.

"_Doubt it. Be a pain to replace at this stage."_ Haymitch continues eating his roll, like this isn't at all a problem.

"_What about my family? Will they punish them?"_ That's all Katniss really cares about; if she didn't have them she probably wouldn't care if she won or died. They're what she really wants to get home for, not for the fame or the fortune, but for them. Nothing else. If this act that she carelessly did today harmed them, she would never forgive herself.

"_Don't think so,"_ Haymitch starts, "_Wouldn't make much sense. See, they'd have to reveal what happened in the Training Center for it to have any worthwhile effect on the population. People would need to know what you did. But they can't since it's secret, so it'd be a waste of effort. More likely they'll make your life hell in the arena."_ Katniss looks frightened after that comment. Since I can't comfort her while she's sad, maybe I can make her feel a little bit better while she's scared.

I add, "_Well, they've already promised to do that to us anyways."_

_ "Very true." _The seriousness of the conversation ends, and maybe I see a slight smile play on Katniss' lips as the conversation goes on. The only person not holding their breath anymore is Effie. Still not looking happy, still looking concerned, but what else do you expect from Effie Trinket, Tribute Escort.

Later after dinner we all settle into the living room. Again we have to wait until the end, as the other tributes scores flash before us. Each tribute's picture shows next to their score, along with the names. Haymitch told me earlier to learn their names, know who they are. If I really wanted to be a double agent, I had to act like a friend first. District one begins with Marvel, who scores a nine. Next is Glimmer, which by the way is a horrible name, who scores an eight. District Two, Cato with a ten, and Clove with a ten as well. Cleary they are a force to be reckoned with. Next of the Careers is District Four, Phoenix with a nine, and Kelly with an eight. I know their names and their scores, my new allies, well, if I get an eight.

The next seven districts go by slowly and I think I'm more anxious than I've ever been. Finally my picture shows, the number can't come fast enough, and it's an… Eight! I did it. I try as hard as I can to contain my excitement. I can get in with the careers; I can help Katniss. I look over to Haymitch who is smiling to himself like a dork. Maybe no one else in this room knows why, but I do. I did enough, and even though only a couple Gamemakers were actually watching, it was enough.

Katniss picture shows and the number comes flashing on. An eleven! She pulled an eleven! It's better than any of the careers. I guess the Gamemakers like someone who takes a risk. But of course it means the Careers will hate her even more. But it also means, tons of sponsors. Everyone in the room is jumping with excitement. This wasn't normal, but Katniss wasn't normal and the Gamemakers saw that. They saw potential like I always have.

After everyone has calmed down, I look over to her, "Well, you shot straight," I say, "You did amazing. Congratulations."

"Thanks, and you know Peeta, eight is really good." It's something cocky players say after winning. Like you did well, but I did better. She still hasn't gotten that I'm on her team. That I'm rooting for her. Maybe she'll never know. I hope she does.

"Thanks Katniss, I guess I'll see you at breakfast. Goodnight."

"Yeah, Goodnight." Katniss says, as I leave, everyone in the room still smiling, me with my silent victory that I couldn't really celebrate.

Haymitch walks by, "Peeta you did it!" He whispers, "I knew you could, I'll tell you the rest of the plan tomorrow, get some rest." He walks away to his room.

Well at least I got a little bit of congratulations…

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**So, I hope you liked it. And I need a pick me up, I haven't gotten any reviews in like two weeks, I only need one more to get to twenty, please? I won't ask anymore if you do! Thank you so much for reading! Come back now, you hear? **


	15. Chapter 15

**The next chapter! Enjoy! I don't own THG so direct quotes will be in italics!**

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**Ch. 15**

"So what's the big plan?" I ask as I walk into breakfast to find Haymitch by himself. He's shoveling the food into his mouth like it's the first things he's ever eaten. The sun is shining through a nearby window and nearly blinds me. I get to my seat quickly before I really can't see anymore.

"Shhh, Katniss could come in hear at any time." Effie walks in.

"What are you two boys talking about? A certain lady? Katniss is it?" I look to Haymitch. So Effie knows too? Haymitch had to tell her, she's almost as oblivious as Katniss.

"You told her!" I accuse. Effie walks up and pats me on the back before sitting down.

"I needed her opinion on something. Trust me I didn't want to." Haymitch begins eating again, basically vacuuming it off his plate.

"Well Peeta we've all had crushes, you need not be ashamed. Except what bad luck you got on this one. I'm truly sorry, your both such great people, you deserve each other. Haymitch! Stop eating like that; there are people here!"

"I regret ever telling you." Haymitch mumbles.

"I wish you the best of luck Peeta." Effie whispers. I notice we're all kind of huddled in. We all subconsciously understood that Katniss could walk in at any moment. Which she does shortly after I realized this. Effie sits up straight and Haymitch goes back to eating. "Peeta get some food." Effie says. I do, but only because the way Haymitch was eating it, it had to be the best stuff ever. We all sit in silence, which is what usually happens when Katniss comes in.

The food is really good, lamb stew over wild rice, but I feel as if Haymitch over did it. He must have been starved, because it taste the same as all the other capitol food, still delicious, but not way more delicious than the other stuff.

Finally the silence is broken with Katniss, "_So what's going on? You're coaching us on our interviews today right?"_

"_That's right,"_ Haymitch says.

"_You don't have to wait until I'm done. I can listen and eat at the same time," _Katniss says, taking another bite.

"_Well, there's been a change of plans. About our current approach."_ Here it comes.

"_What's that?"_ Katniss asks, fully confused.

"_Peeta has asked to be coached separately."_ Peeta? No he was supposed to put this one on himself not me. Now she'll think I have something to hide. Something I don't want her to know. She'll think that I don't want to be her friend. That once we get in the arena I'll want her to die. It's the other way around though. We're doing this for her, to keep her alive. I want her to know this. I want to scream it to the rooftops. Katniss Everdeen I love you and I'm doing everything in my power to keep you alive! But Haymitch turned it around, made me look evil. It's all played out on her face, and though she probably denies we didn't get closer in training, we actually kind of did. She has to feel betrayed, like she was nothing to me. A roadblock, like I am to her. Just a roadblock, not Peeta Mellark, but a roadblock. That's it. I'm just a roadblock.

"What were you thinking? She probably thinks I hate her! You were supposed to say it was your idea. Not mine." Haymitch puts his hand on me, to try to calm me down.

"Look Peeta, it's all part of the plan trust me."

"Okay Haymitch, lay this amazing plan on me. But I hope you know if it involves Katniss thinking I hate her, I'm not doing it."

"No actually it's the opposite, we're going to let her know. We're going to let the whole country know." Know? What does he mean? "Tomorrow at the interview, you're going to tell Caesar Flickerman, that you are in love with Katniss Everdeen." I take it in. She will finally know. She'll know! After all these years of holding it in, of being to afraid to tell her, she'll know. It's the best news I've ever heard. She'll actually know. How will she react? Will she hug me, or kiss me, or run away in embarrassment? Well, at least I'll know soon. Tomorrow night to be exact.

"Really?" I say. A smile comes beaming onto my face as Haymitch nods.

" I don't want you to die without her knowing. Plus, the capitol will eat it up. Romance doesn't come up that often with The Hunger Games. It's something new, and the people love that." So in the end it will help her and me. It will help her in the game, and it will take away the guilt on my chest that I never told her.

"What if he doesn't ask the right questions?"

"Well, your gonna play the likable card, and what likable guy doesn't have a sweetheart? He's bound to ask you."

"So do we need to practice?"

"Please, you already know how to talk, it's Katniss who I'm worried about. She shows no personality to the people she hates, I'm one of them and the Capitol is too."

"She doesn't hate you, you just annoy her." I say I remember her telling me that while eating lunch during training. I had brought up our anger-inducing mentor, which basically brought a whole giant rant out of Katniss. She's happy he's trying, but does he have to be so annoying?

"Yeah well, same thing. Are you nervous at all about this?" Haymitch asks, staring into my eyes.

"No, I'm actually excited. I've been wanting to tell her for so long, and I finally get to. It's really a dream come true. All this time I've been guilty that I never told her. Things might be different if I had just told her right then in Kindergarten, when I knew she had to be my friend. So I finally get to do what I've been wanting to do for a long time, yeah, I'd say I'm excited."

"It's really been that long? How come you didn't move on?" Why didn't I? It's a hard question to answer.

"Katniss was always different, she didn't talk to a lot of people, she went hunting, and she actually took risks. I liked that, I liked that she wasn't normal. I've had girls notice me, and sure it might've been nice to like some one normal. Some one who would actually notice me, but I just couldn't. It's always been Katniss. What about you Haymitch, you didn't have that one girl?"

"Oh trust me Peeta I did, but things happened…" He ends the sentence open, like there was a big story behind it. I just hope that if some crazy thing happens in the games and I make it out instead of Katniss, that maybe I'll be able to move on, unlike Haymitch. I know it won't happen though, because like I said it has always been Katniss.

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**So I hope you liked it! I also wrote a oneshot today it's called A Couple months Later... it'd be awesome if you went and checked it out! Thanks! Review on the way out!**


	16. Chapter 16

**Here's the next chapter! Enjoy! I don't own THG any direct quotes are in italics.**

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**Ch. 16**

I wake up to my prep teams faces looming over me. They didn't say anything just put their faces over me until I woke up. It was way weird and slightly creepy, but I have to remember they were raised in a totally different place, but they woke me from a really good dream.

It was after my interview, and the whole country and Katniss knew of my love. After the interview Katniss had ran to me and jumped into my arms. Telling me she'd liked me all along. And then we kissed. Which I know this dream is a little far fetched, I mean Katniss doesn't really seem to like me, but a boy can dream can't he?

"Good morning Peeta!" Lucinda breaths into my face, "How has your week been?" She doesn't give me time to answer before saying, " You got an eight! That was fantastic, we all were so excited, and when Katniss pulled the eleven Whooeee! We partied all night! Isn't that right." She turns to the other two who had kindly stepped away from my face, giving me at least a little more room to breath.

"Oh, you know it girl. Party through the night!" Rake responds, giving a little booty shake afterwards. They were children, I was eight years younger than them at least, but they were ten times more immature than me. They went on to tell me about how many laughs they had, how drunk they were. I'm starting to think they weren't partying for Katniss, or me but for their own pleasures, but at least they had a "reason" right?

"Well Peeta, go wash up. We've got to work on you. Rake already set the shower." Talia says. Thank goodness he set the settings! I've been having rough showers all week, and the soap I've been sprayed with is rose. No one's really noticed, but it is embarrassing.

Soon, but not soon enough, they're done with me and I am once again ready for Portia. "Hello Peeta. How are you today? Ready for the interview?"

In all honesty the promise of the interview is what kept me from exploding on my prep team. I can't wait for Katniss to finally know, and I'm anxious, even more than I was waiting for my training score, "I'm good Portia, and I'm very excited for the interview." Wait, I shouldn't be excited for it, and Portia doesn't know that I like Katniss.

"Yeah I bet you are, about that, why was I the last to know?" So she does know. What did all of them have a meeting about it this morning? Cinna promised he wouldn't tell and I know he would keep that promise. I had told him a couple of days ago that Haymitch had known. So it had to be the other two.

"Haymitch or Effie?" Portia laughs, making the stress on her face fade away.

"Effie, I didn't even have to ask. Peeta, you don't need to be ashamed, I think it's sweet." Ashamed? I wasn't really ashamed. I just always too afraid to tell her, I was never ashamed.

"Portia I'm not ashamed, in fact I'm telling the whole country about it tonight. Part of the plan Haymitch and I have devised."

"Really? Well I hope it works, I'll be rooting for you two." She gets to work on finishing what the prep team started. It involved very little conversation, and it was nice to finally get some peace and quiet. When she pulls out what I'll be wearing, I get kind of excited. It's a nice suit with red highlights. Which with Cinna and Portia's matching designs it probably meant Katniss would be wearing a red dress. Katniss looked really nice in red. I couldn't wait to see her.

The interviews begin like they do every year; with Caesar Flickerman's shining face and winning personality. He rattles off a few jokes to get the audience comfortable, and then gets into the interviews. Like every year the female from each District goes before the male in that District. Which would make me very last. You know what they say, save the best for last.

Glimmer, the girl from District One glides to take her seat, she's trying to be seductive, but I'm probably the only guy in this room that doesn't care. I have the most beautiful girl sitting next to me, it takes all of my being to not just stare at her.

The next interviews couldn't go slower. I'm so anxious for everyone to know, but most importantly for Katniss to know. Finally it's Katniss' turn and she turns into a girl I've only seen once before. The one I met on the chariot in the opening ceremonies, almost a week ago. She giggles, and twirls, and surprisingly actually answers the question. When asked about Prim things got serious, Katniss let her guard down, let the whole world know of the one person she loved the most. The bell rings. It's my turn. Showtime!

"Don't forget to be strong." I hear my mom, even over all this screaming, I still hear her. Calling out to me, "Don't forget to be strong."

"Peeta! How are you liking the Capitol?" Caesar asks me, after a few short jokes.

"It's very different from home, but it's really nice. A lot more high tech."

"Really? What's so different?" He asks. Has he seen District Twelve?

"Well, for one thing your showers are very confusing. It asks so many questions, but I guess it's my fault I pushed the rose scent as an option."

"Our showers are different?" He smiles to the crowd getting a laugh, " Well I guess I have pushed the wrong options a couple of times as well." He admits.

"Exactly! _Tell me do I smell like roses?"_ I put out my hand for him to smell.

"Oh, they kind of do… what about me? What do I smell like?" He gives me his hand and the audience is dieing. They're laughing louder than anything I've ever heard. We go off of that for a little while, but then it's time for what I've been waiting for.

"So Peeta, your likable, do have a girlfriend back home?"

"Sorry Caesar, I can't say I do."

"_Handsome lad like you. There must be some special girl. Come on, what's her name?"_

Here goes nothing, "_Well there is this one girl. I've had a crush on her ever since I can remember. But I'm pretty sure she didn't know I was alive until the reaping."_ The crowd awws.

_"Have another fellow?" _Caesar asks.

"_I don't know, but a lot of boys like her,"_ I couldn't be the only one right?

"_So here's what you do. You win, you go home. She can't turn you down then, eh?"_ I wish it were as simple as that.

"_I don't think it's going to work out. Winning… won't help in my case." _

"_Why ever not?"_ Caesar asks, and it's time for the big reveal. I'm actually pretty nervous.

"_Because…because… she came here with me."_ The cameras instantly flash to Katniss' face and all I can see is shock, not happiness, or hatred, but shock. She then just looks to the floor. Which leaves me wondering, does she even care?

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**I hope you loved it! When I was writing it I was getting anxious along with Peeta, could you imagine? Anyways, don't forget to review! Thanks! -boywithbreadlover **


	17. Chapter 17

**Next Chapter is up! I'm really excited, I've had over 1,000 views! Whoop! Anyways, enjoy! I don't own THG any direct quotes are in italics. **

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**Ch. 17**

It's after the interviews, we've been pushed back into the training center, and everyone is headed back to their floors. I want to ride with Katniss, but she veers away from me, going to an empty elevator. I can't say I've ever been happier. She knows, heck the whole world knows. I just want to scream it to the rooftops. I'm in love!

The elevator ride is fast as usually. Right when I step from the elevator, I see Katniss in all her glory. But instead of smiling, she runs towards me slamming her hands into my chest. I go flying and hit a vase, which in return shatters and cuts my hand. Blood comes instantly. I have no idea what just happened.

"_What was that for?"_ I spit out as Katniss walks towards me, angry. Maybe that wasn't the right word, she was infuriated.

"_You had no right! No right to go saying these things about me!"_ They were also about me. It was my love for her, not vice versa, which I should keep in mind, but everything I said was spoken out of truth. Well, except for all the guys like her part, but that will help her in the end. It makes her desirable.

Before anything else happens our crew walks in. All smiling, happy, until they assess the situation.

_"What's going on? Did you fall?"_ Yeah, I wish I had fell, instead of having the love of my life beat me up.

"_After she shoved me,"_ Effie and Cinna help me up from the millions of shards lying on the floor.

"_Shoved him?"_ Haymitch turns to Katniss. She flushes slightly, but the anger comes through more.

"_This was your idea, wasn't it? Turning me into some kind of fool in front of the entire country?" _Katniss points her finger at Haymitch. Only Katniss would think love was a weakness, I personally thought of it as a strength. It's something every human can prosper in. It's something we can all relate to, whether we've loved or not.

Since Katniss was pointing the finger at Haymitch, which wasn't really fair, I decide she better point it on me. After all I am the reason this plan was devised and Haymitch only helped, "_It was my idea. Haymitch just helped me with it." _

"_Yes, Haymitch is very helpful. To you!" _Katniss spits out. If only she knew this was all to help her. But I'm mad at Haymitch as well, he told me to do this, but all it did was anger her. She thinks it's an act, made up just to humiliate her. Haymitch could have planned it better. I could of told her in private first or something maybe a little different, just so she wouldn't be so mad.

"_He made you look desirable!" _Haymitch spits out, getting angry himself, "_And let's face it, you can use all the help you can get in that department. You were about as romantic as dirt until he said he wanted you. Now they all do. You're all they're talking about. The star-crossed lovers from District Twelve!"_ That had a certain ring to it; I liked it. Loved it even. The star-crossed lovers from District Twelve, I could get used to it.

"_But we're not star-crossed lovers!" _Katniss screams. Well at least half of us aren't.

Haymitch grabs Katniss and pins her against the wall, "_Who cares? It's all a big show, "_ Yeah that's all my love is, a big lie, a roadblock, "_It's all how your perceived. The most I could say about you after you interview was that you were nice enough, although that in itself was a small miracle. Now I can say you're a heartbreaker. Oh, oh, oh, how the boys back home fall longingly at your feet. Which do you think will get you more sponsors?_ " Haymitch finishes and Katniss rudely pushes him away. Haymitch knows how much I love her; he has to feel my pain right now doesn't he? He has to be so frustrated that she did not respond in a different way. Because I'm dying right now. I don't understand, why doesn't she see that it's the truth?

It took sometime for her to finally calm down, which I didn't really help with a few snotty remarks. I love her, but she can be annoying. But soon the smell of our last dinner in the training center wafts to our noses and we're all to hungry to still be angry. The blood is still coming from my hand and once it won't stop Portia takes me to the medical center.

"Peeta are you okay?" Portia asks as we walk away from the table into the elevator.

"Yeah, it's just some blood." I lift my hand up which is covered in cloth.

"No I mean about the way she reacted. It was pretty harsh. It's probably not the reaction you had expected." No it wasn't, but I did have my hopes high.

"Portia, I'm fine. I know Katniss is different and she sees love as a weakness. Yeah I'm disappointed she didn't think it was real because it's so real. This love I have for her is so real and she just can't see it. To her it's all for the games, nothing more. I wanted her to know the truth."

Portia grabs my shoulders, "Well Peeta, I think she'll realize it. I'm not sure when, but she will."

Later after dinner and after we'd watched the replay of the interviews it was time for bed. Since it's our last night here we won't see Effie or Haymitch anymore. Effie had grabbed both our hands with tears in her eyes, and managed to do what Effie does. Not make us feel better at all. Her compliment was meant well, but just seemed harsh in the end, but once we had said good night to her we had moved onto to Haymitch. Whom I must say has really won me over. He's really tried to help me, and came up with a better plan than I ever could. I'm really going to miss him, and I hope he will miss me as well.

"_Any final words of advice?" _I say, I haven't let the tears start falling and I hope they don't.

"_When the gong sounds get the hell out of there. You're neither of you up to the blood bath at the Cornucopia. Just clear out, put as much distance as you can between yourselves and the others, and find a source of water. Got it?"_ Haymitch finishes, I wonder if these things really apply to me.

"_And after that?"_ Katniss asks.

"_Stay alive," _It's the best advice he could give a week later than when he said it the first time. After all the training and makeovers and interviews, it's some of the best stuff he's given. Katniss leaves, but I stay waiting for even more of the plan from Haymitch.

"So how am I supposed to seal the deal with the careers?" I walk to sit on the couch, making myself comfortable; I'm ready for this plan.

"Like I said run from the cornucopia, but stay close, once the bloodbath is over, come back. They're mentors have already talked to them, but once in the game it's really all up to them. Tell them you and Katniss had a falling out, you'll help them find her, if they just will let you in. Got it?" I nod as Haymitch lays out what I must do tomorrow, "Now try and lead them away from her. Remember they don't know about her archery skills, tell them she's good with knifes. It'll be easier for her to pick them off if they're not worried about an arrow blowing through the air. And I know she'll want to get that bow and arrow tomorrow, don't let her. In some way, distract her. She'll get it soon enough. Got all of that?" Haymitch finally finishes with the rest of the plan. Now it's up to me to keep Katniss alive and going.

"Thank you Haymitch, I don't know how I will ever be able to thank you." This time tears really do start coming.

"Let's get her out alive first." Haymitch gets up and goes to his room leaving me alone. When she does win I want her to know the truth that all of my love wasn't a lie. I go to my room and find paper and pen. I write:

Dear Katniss,

I really do love you. I know you think it was all a lie made up for the games, but it's true. I've loved you since the first day I saw you in kindergarten. I wanted you to know; that it was my last dying wish to keep you alive and if you're reading this my dream came true. I'm writing this the night before we go in and I am really nervous. I don't want to fail you. I should have told you sooner; maybe things would be different…

With undying love,

Peeta

My tears cascade down my face onto the paper staining it. It wasn't to long, but it was enough. Enough for her to realize that I really did love her, with all my heart. I fold the letter three times and write, for Katniss after the Games. I leave my room to put it under Haymitch's door. More tears fall as I realize she won't really know before I die, she'll think I was just a roadblock. That's all; a roadblock. I go back to my room and try to sleep, but sleep doesn't come. So I go to the only really peaceful place in this whole city, the roof.

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**Thank you for reading! It's kind of sad :(, but anyways I hope you liked it and don't forget to review on the way out! Thanks :) **

**-boywithbreadlover**


	18. Chapter 18

**Hey everyone! Next Chapter is up! Yay! Enjoy! I don't own THG so any direct quotes are in italics.**

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**Ch. 18**

It isn't actually calm on top of the roof. The music from the streets has found itself up here and it seems my prep team will be partying hard again. What are they celebrating really? The death of twenty-three kids, it's really not something to be excited about. It's something to be mourned. Like our parents will be doing in a few weeks. My brothers, my dad, my mom, they'll all be mourning soon. I'll be shipped in a casket home. My body marked with any way I might have died. Will it be a spear, an avalanche, a miss eaten berry? Only time will tell. I just hope it's quick, not something long and drawn out, where I'm in pain for hours. I hope it's quick and nearly painless. What will it be like tomorrow morning, standing on the plates, looking at all the other tributes? Will the landscape be scary, or pretty, large, or small, only time will tell.

I think about Katniss, the little moments I remember. Her laughing at training, the small smile I used to see at school when she talked to Madge, Katniss, the girl who won't take no for an answer when trading. She was everything I loved; she was just so different than everyone else. My mind flashes back to a different time.

…...

"Hey Peeta." A girl from school had come up to me. She'd been flirting all week, but I really was not interested, "I was wondering do you want to go out tomorrow." Katniss had walked by, zooming past everyone, getting to her next class, "Peeta, Peeta you there?" The girl had followed my gaze her eyes locking on Katniss, "Seriously? You like that freak? Good luck with that." The girl had stormed off, but I didn't really care. If Katniss was a freak I wanted her to be my freak. In my eyes she was perfect.

...…

My mind comes back to now, the games. If only I could have one more conversation with Katniss to let her know who I really am. Maybe she won't know the truth, but maybe she could understand me more as a person. What will she think when she sees me with the careers? I'll just be a traitor and I think she should know some of the real me, but she's probably in bed, getting the rest we both really need. There's no way I could have a conversation with her now. My time has come and gone for that.

_"You should be getting some sleep."_ I hear Katniss say behind me, which makes me jump. It looks like I was given my time for a final conversation.

I don't turn to her, but instead just shake my head, "_I didn't want to miss the party_. _It's for us, after all."_ She comes up beside me and leans over the rail, looking down into the bright lights and the people dancing.

"_Are they in costumes?"_ Katniss asks. I look over the edge to see if I could tell, but we were to high up and the people just look like ants. And the clothes they normally wear seem like costumes to me anyways.

"_Who could tell? With all the crazy stuff they wear here. Couldn't sleep either?"_

_ "Couldn't turn my mind off."_ She answers. She was probably thinking of home, Prim, Gale, Her mom.

"_Thinking of your family?" _I ask as she leans back, adjusting herself to look at me.

"_No. All I can wonder about is tomorrow. Which is pointless, of course."_ It really wasn't, it's what I was thinking about to. Well, that and Katniss. I'm sure it's what every tribute is wondering about tonight. She looks down to my hands, "_I really am sorry about your hands."_

I'll be bruised going into the games, another disadvantage towards me, "_It doesn't matter, Katniss. I've never been a contender in these Games anyway."_ Not that I wanted to be, I wanted her to be. I wanted her to win, that's my main purpose in these Games.

"_That's no way to be thinking."_ She says, and I'm surprised she's actually responding, actually trying to talk to me. We're away from everyone, everything and she's actually trying to talk to me.

"_Why not? It's true. My best hope is to not disgrace myself and…"_ I leave it off, it's my time to show who I really am. How do I put it?

"_And what?" _She asks curiously.

"_I don't know how to say it exactly. Only… I want to die as myself. Does that make any sense?" _She shakes her head as I search for more words, "_ I don't want them to change me in there. Turn me into something I'm not."_ Some one who would actually want to win these things for glory, some one who doesn't really love.

"_Do mean you won't kill anyone?"_ She asks.

"_No, when the time comes, I'm sure I'll kill just like everybody else. I can't go down without a fight," _for you, "_Only I keep wishing I could think of a way to… to show the Capitol they don't own me. That I'm more than just a piece in their Games," _I say. One way to show them is to fight for another person, for my one true love. They probably wouldn't like it, but it's one hundred percent me. I'd do anything for Katniss, for something as simple as take a slap from my mom for burning bread, or something as real and serious as dieing. It was me.

"_But you're not. None of us are. That's how the Games work."_ Katniss still can't wrap her head around it. All she knows is that she has to win this to get home to Prim.

"_Okay, but within that framework, there's still you, there's still me. Don't you see?"_ I question her, wanting her to get it, wanting her to get me.

"_A little. Only… no offense, but who cares Peeta?" _Katniss asks. Can't she just get that I'm fighting for her, that my love is real and not just a lie?

"_I do. I mean, what else am I allowed to care about at this point?" _Anger arises in my voice and I look into her eyes, willing an answer.

"_Care about what Haymitch said. About staying alive."_ Katniss says, but all I care about is keeping her alive, not me.

I smile as I think of a snarky reply, "_Okay. Thanks for the tip, sweetheart." _Katniss hated when Haymitch called her that, it annoyed her more than anything. And even though I wanted this last conversation with her to be a sweet one, she clearly does not want it to be. At least the letter will let her know.

"_Look, if you want to spend the last hours of your life planning some noble death in the arena, that's your choice. I want to spend mine in District Twelve." _I want so badly to say, that's where I want you as well, but different words come out.

"_Wouldn't surprise me if you do. Give my mother my best when you get back will you?" _I say.

Katniss says one final thing before she's gone, "_Count on it."_ And then I watch as she goes, angry, like she is most of the time around me. The music down on the street gets louder, the beat deeper. The music doesn't at all match the tears falling on my face.

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**Poor Peeta ): Thanks for reading! So I'm super excited because I pre-ordered my Hunger Games DVD today! Who else has done it? I can**'**t wait for all the special features! Thanks again for reading and I hoped you liked it! Don't forget to review on the way out! Thanks!**


	19. Chapter 19

**Next Chapter! Enjoy! I don't own THG so any direct quotes are in italics.**

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**Ch. 19**

It's a while before I actually make it back to my bedroom. I wait for the tears to end and that party down on the street to settle down before I actually make my way to my room. Sleep doesn't come right away. It's like I couldn't shut my mind off. It was like I had forgotten how to even fall asleep. I know in the weeks to come sleep won't be often and short when I do have it. But alas, my mind wanders, to all the times I watched Katniss walk home from school or when I saw her sneak away into the forest, or the times my father had me trade with her. It was only a few words when I would trade with her. Things like, how much do you want? Is this good? Never any real conversation; never getting to know her more. I think of all the times I've seen her laughing with Gale or hugging her sister, giving her mom a glance. It'll all be thrown out the window tomorrow, I won't be watching from afar, wishing I were there; I'll be there to help keep her alive. It's my sole purpose now, to keep here alive.

Soon my mind becomes too tired to think, finally shutting down, finally letting me sleep.

"Peeta, it's time to get up. The hovercraft is waiting." I wake with a start to see Portia standing above me. She has a sad smile on her face, maybe a tear glistening in her eye. She reaches down and rubs my shoulder. "Good morning, it's time to go." I get up quickly, I'm not completely rested, but weirdly I feel ready. We make our way up to the roof. A ladder is hanging from the hovercraft, I grab on and it freezes me instantly. Once up they don't let me go, instead they inject a tracker into my arm before turning whatever current was flowing through the ladder off.

The ride to the arena is quick and involves very little conversation between Portia and I. While the windows to the Hovercraft are still open I look out. Noticing all the different landscape. Land not overrun by humans. It has a pureness to it, the sun lighting it in different ways. Showing all its imperfections, but also its beauty. It was kind of like my love for Katniss. I could see everything that was wrong with her, but some how her beauty, the good things about her, had blinded it. Like how when she loved something she loved it with all her power, but she didn't give love to just anything. She loved Prim, her father, the woods, but not much else. Her love was reserved for special things. She could be so stubborn, but still all I saw was that when she wanted something she wouldn't give up until she got it. I saw her true beauty, when no one else really could. She's just a seam kid, who doesn't talk too much, who's very strong, and who's so obviously different. That's all anyone else saw. I saw so much more.

By the time we're making our way to the launch room, the stockyard as we call it, my heart is beating a million times per minute.

"Peeta you better eat, you don't know the next time you'll get food." Portia says, pushing a bowl towards me that contained many things, fruit, bread, and a couple of vegetables. She puts a cup of milk in front of me along with a cup of water. I don't want to eat too much, or I won't be able to run, but I should eat something to sustain me. If the careers let me in, I will have food to eat, but Haymitch said it was up to them. I eat quickly, drinking the water really fast and asking for another. I needed to be hydrated, who knew how hot the arena would be. After eating I go to take a shower, letting the water soak in. It will be my last ever shower, and I enjoy it. Taking as much time as I can before Portia calls me out.

"Peeta your clothes are here." Portia calls as I turn off the water. I dry off quickly and Portia helps me put on the outfit that every tribute will have. The jacket his light weight, but will keep you warm. It's probably going to be some cold nights. I finish dressing. "Did you have a district token?" Portia asks as I zip up my jacket.

"No I don't. I don't know what I would've brought." Portia turns around looking around the room for something, but it's pretty much empty.

"You should probably drink some more water." She goes to get me another glass. "I really liked getting to know you Peeta," She says as she comes back, "You're a really nice guy. You deserve Katniss."

"Yeah well I can't have her. It seems fate was against me." I shrug saying the words sadly.

"Well I say screw fate. Stranger things have happened." Portia says.

"Yeah well not in The Hunger Games, there's only one victor. It's the rules. I just have to make sure it's Katniss, not anyone else." I take a drink of the water.

"Prepare for launch." A cold female voice comes over the speaker, mechanical almost. I stand up and walk to hug Portia, holding her tightly.

"Be strong Peeta, do what you have to do." Portia whispers in my ear. It's almost the same as my mom. Except this was different, I wasn't going for the win this time. No, but I still needed to be strong, for Katniss, for Prim, for all the things Katniss loved. I needed to be strong to get her home.

"Portia, I really want to thank you and Cinna for being there for us. It really means a lot." The designers don't get to close to the tributes; they're going to die in the end anyways. But Cinna and Portia were different; they actually wanted to help us. A lot of people had given up on District Twelve, but they hadn't. It was nice.

She lets go of the embrace, leading me over to the launching tube. "Good luck Peeta. Be strong." A tear rolls down her cheek, but it doesn't make me sad, it gives me hope. Hope that I can do this, that Katniss will live, that it will all be okay in the end. A glass cylinder comes around me, closing me in. Be strong, be strong, be strong. It goes through my head over and over again as the plate begins to rise. It's dark for a few moments, but then light floods in, it consumes my body. A then we're all out there, the cornucopia in the middle, and it's eerie, the wind blowing slightly. My plate locks into place. Then we all hear it, "_Ladies and gentleman, let the Seventy-fourth annual Hunger Games begin!"_

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**I hope you liked it. The next chapter should be up really soon, while waiting you should go check out my one shot. It's called A Couple Months Later... it's a couple months after the 74th Hunger Games and Peeta and Katniss have a confrontation. It would be really cool if you checked it out! Thanks! Don't forget to review on the way out :)**_  
_


	20. Chapter 20

**Here it is my Twentieth Chapter! Wow! That's quite a few! Enjoy! I do not own THG any direct quotes are in Italics!**

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**Ch. 20**

Minutes pass constantly. Some are really important, some not significant at all. Some pass during sleep, some while walking through town. But one thing for sure they're always passing. They're quick, easily forgotten. This minute right now is important. You can study the land, the other tributes. You do what ever you can in that one minute. I quickly look to survey the land, then I quickly look to Katniss, who like Haymitch said she would is looking at the Cornucopia, her eyes steady on the bow and arrow. She looks up, now's my chance. I catch her eye giving my head the slightest shake. The gong rings and I had Katniss distracted. She still runs towards it, but I don't see anything else as I head straight for the forest like Haymitch said to do. There are other tributes running this way, but we avoid each other, we're all just trying to get away from the blood bath. I don't run that often. I only do if I have to make a delivery and it's raining, but usually Rhys does those. So the farthest I could probably run was a mile or two, which is good, Haymitch said to not go to far. Once I find that I can hardly breath no more I find a good hiding place behind a bush. I camouflage a little, but not too much. Most of the other tributes will be running though, they won't be looking out for others.

The bloodbath can take a whole day and I'm ready to wait it out. I need to get more rest before the games really begin for me. I have to think about what Katniss would do. She probably didn't get the bow and arrow. Hopefully she got some supplies, a little food, maybe some water, but I know that's what she'll be looking for, water. Haymitch told us to look for that. She'll probably try to get as far away from the cornucopia as she can. Once she finds water, she'll probably find a tree. I have to keep the careers from looking in the trees too often. Although she'll probably hide herself well.

I'm lying down for a while before I hear the cannon; a sure sign that the bloodbath is over. The cannon is unsettling. For deaths there should be a moment of silence, but instead they interrupt it with a loud unwanted noise. But it's the only way to let us know that some one is dead. I hear it ring out eleven times. Eleven gone, eleven families already mourning. I'll find out who all died tonight, but right now I need to go to the careers. I get up from the dirt, wiping away the leaves I had used for camouflage. It's time to begin. I start out walking, but decide it's two slow; I need to get to them before they're too established. I run quickly and get there in no time. I see them sorting through the weapons, divvying them up. I don't know if it's the best time to walk out, while they have weapons in their hands, but I decide it's better now than later. I walk out my hands up, showing I have nothing. The girl from Two, Clove is the first to notice me.

"Well if it isn't Lover Boy. We won't hurt you if you have a good enough reason for us to keep you. Our mentors told us about you." By the time she's finished the others have looked up.

Cato, the boy from Two, looks to me, "Yeah if your not valuable your dead."

"Are you going to speak or not?" says Marvel the boy from One.

"I can help you find her. I know how she works." I say daring to walk closer to them.

"Why would you want us to find her? Aren't you in love?" Kelly, the girl from four, asks.

"We had a fight last night. We aren't close anymore." I walk even closer. They actually seem interested. I hope they're not just amusing me before they kill me.

"How do we know you're not lying?" Cato asks, pick up a sword and running his finger across the edge.

I think on my feet, but sure enough I hold out my hands, "Things got physical, look at my hands." They were cut and still red, showing the bruises were fairly new. I walk even closer.

"So you know a lot about her. Like even her location." Cato says, standing up. He was clearly the leader of the group.

"Yeah, before I came here I was following her. She's headed that way." I point towards the forest, "She was getting pretty tired when I left her." They all simultaneously drop their weapons, which was slightly creepy, but showed that I was in.

"Fine you can join us. But tell us one thing first, what's her weapon?"

"Knifes." I say instantly. Clove laughs, picking up a knife and putting it in her jacket. When she opens her jacket I see an array of knifes. I noticed in training she was very quick with them, she obviously had some extensive training.

"Good," says Clove, "Now help us with this stuff. We need to set up camp. You can help Kelly with sorting the food and stuff." She gestures over to Kelly. I notice there's not six careers, but five. Phoenix, the boy from four, must have died. He didn't seem like a normal career, he was small in stature, and I couldn't remember if he had volunteered or not.

"So basically I'm putting all the stuff we should put in our packs over here and all the stuff we should leave at camp here. Basically the big stuff we should leave at camp, apples, carrots, and stuff like that. The small stuff we can carry in our packs." She finishes and I get to work. It takes awhile before we're actually moving all the stuff over to our actual camp, which isn't far from the Cornucopia, by the lake. Nothing really interesting happens. We just set the tents, and eat some food. I did notice that it seemed Glimmer and Clove were fighting over Cato, which didn't really make sense; they were going to die anyways. It seemed pointless to me, but they were throwing themselves all over him most of the day. He didn't seem to mind. The name lover boy had seemed to stick, which kind of sucked. I had told them my name was Peeta over and over again, but with out fail every time they addressed me it was Lover Boy.

"Lets rest for a bit, but we're going out tonight. Be ready." Cato says before heading into his tent. They put Marvel on guard first, and I'm happy I get to have a little bit of rest, before we go out. Before I head into my tent I hear something.

"I can help you!" I hear a voice I turn around to see the boy from one addressing Marvel.

"Cato. There's a boy here, should I hear him out?" Marvel says, he clearly doesn't want to take the leadership position. Cato comes out of his tent quickly.

"What do you want?" Cato asks the boy, whose name I didn't really know.

"I can keep people from taking your stuff!" He says, his voice slightly shaky.

"Oh Yeah, how can you do that?" Asks Cato as he grabs his sword.

"I can reset the mines from under the plates. I can booby trap it." He says. Which actually makes Cato pause.

"Fine, but you better do it fast, and if it doesn't work your dead."

"Okay."

"What are you doing? Get to work." The boy runs off to get a shovel from our tower of supplies, before heading off to get the mines from underneath the plates. I've never seen it done before, but it seems like a good idea.

I get into my tent to get some rest, but I don't sleep. All I can think about is Katniss, probably in a tree somewhere, all by herself. After a while, I hear the anthem playing and go to look at the deaths. The only thing I care about is that Katniss' picture isn't there. Which means that now I know she actually is alive, sitting in a tree somewhere. Is she relieved that I'm still alive as well? No, I remind myself, she doesn't care about me at all.

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**I really hope you liked this one! Don't forget to review!**


	21. Chapter 21

**So here's the next chapter. I wasn't going to post another one today, but I got a bunch of views and stuff so I was happy. So I wrote another one! Enjoy! I do not own THG and direct quotes are in italics.**

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**Ch. 21**

"Peeta?" I see Katniss, alone wondering. The sun is falling through the trees, but it's not the same trees in the arena. It's the trees from home. I look to Katniss again her hand wrapped tightly around her bow, a quiver of arrows strapped to her back. "Peeta why are you out here? You could get hurt. No weapons or anything." Her voice seems far off as well as other noises. I can hear a bird chirping loudly and it's taking over all other things. It's consuming me, making me into that noise. Forming me so that my every thought is that noise.

"Katniss make it stop." Katniss pauses walking towards me. She puts her hand on me trying to look into my eyes, but my eyes stray away. Looking somewhere else. The chirping gets louder.

"Peeta, make what stop? I told you, you shouldn't be out here. Your imagining things." The chirping gets even louder, to where I could barely make out Katniss' words anymore. Her eyes stray away, looking back to something, some one. Gale comes up beside her. I here him and her off in the distance laughing, enjoying stuff, and I'm here in torture, not being able to communicate. I'm all alone, with no one, not even Katniss.

"Lover boy! It's time to go hunting for your lovely Fire Girl." I wake up quickly to darkness. My plan to not fall asleep clearly had not fallen through. The dream was frightening; the chirping which I also could hear right now, clearly came from a very annoying bird on a tree near by.

"I'm up!" I call back to Clove who had woken me up. They all laughed, sharing a joke I wasn't awake to know about.

"Well good, we were scared you had died. Who could sleep through that bird?" I get out of my tent quickly, to see they had all eaten. Empty wrappers were scattered on the ground. Kelly was starting to pick them up, but I had a feeling that they would really rather leave them there.

"Let's go. It's time to get that girl out." Cato picks up a sword, putting it away were he would be comfortable running. Clove had taken off her jacket and was filling it with even more knifes. "Clove she's mine, you don't need to bring all those." Cato says looking down to the jacket.

"Oh I know, it's for if we run into some others." She tilts her head back and laughs. Killing was apparently fun for them, a second nature. How they could ever just do it, I'm not sure. It boggles my mind. I look over to Glimmer who is filling a quiver with arrows and grabbing a bow from the pile of weapons.

"You do archery?" I ask her. She could never be as good as Katniss, even if she'd been training for five years. There's a difference between learning for survival and learning for skill. For survival skill just came along.

"Yeah, best in the district. I decided it'd be a good year to come. I mean I got a medal. I'm good." She finishes it with a cocky grin and turns to Cato, giving him a wink.

"Well let's put it to action," He winks back, "What weapon do you want Peeta?" I look over the pile. I wasn't really sure. I mean I guess, I'd have to wrestle to take down an opponent, a knife would be my best chance with that. I pick up the first one I see. Clove shakes her head out of the corner of my eye.

"No, you're not taking that. Knives are mine." Clove comes and tackles me, punching me in the face while doing so. One of the weapons was sticking out as I fell down, cutting my arm. She tries to grab it from my hand and I was going to let her take it, but then Cato yelled.

"Clove! You already have a bunch! He wants one let him have it! Let's go!" Cato turns toward the forest and start running it's as if Clove never really beat me up. Kelly quickly hands me a torch and some bandage for my arm and then we're off. It takes a while for all of us to fully catch up to Cato. His pace is quick. "Lover Boy! We going the right way?" He turns to me, he doesn't have a flashlight in hand instead a pair of night-vision goggles covers his eyes.

"Yeah, just keep on running this way." It's hard running in this terrain at night with only a torch. There are twigs coming out of nowhere, rocks and bushes everywhere. It's a miracle I don't totally face plant every ten seconds. But I do trip once and I land weirdly on my leg, making me sort of limp the rest of the way. I sort of get in a groove, dodging things, running at a good pace. Soon my mind isn't only focused on one thing, not falling. My mind wanders to my dream, what'd it mean? That I won't be there in Katniss' life. That Gale will. Was it just my subconscious telling me that my life sucks? Really it made no sense to me. The chirping had to have some significance. At least Katniss was trying to help at first, but then she gave up. Moving over to Gale, getting closer to him, not me.

I decide now isn't the time to think about it when Cato says, "Look, smoke!" I look forward to surely see smoke. Such a stupid mistake, I quickly decide it isn't Katniss, and let us move towards it. We get closer and closer, and soon we're there.

"That was a stupid mistake don't you think?" says Clove. Making the girl jump. She was already shivering, her teeth chattering, but now she just screams.

"Fire on the first night? Really an amateur move." Glimmer laughs, twirling her hair with one finger.

"Please, please!" The girl screams. I want to talk to her, to hear her out. I know the Careers would never do that though, the more dead, the easier to win.

"Well, we might go back to camp and set a fire Glimmer, but we have all the supplies. No one will touch us. You have nothing." Cato grabs his sword and pierces her in the torso. Her screams turn to whimpers, which then turn to nothing. They all start laughing. They all say congratulations to Cato, but if we were in the real world he would be punished for murder. What's the problem there?

Cato then yells, "Twelve down, eleven to go!" I actually do applaud this one, but because it means that it's closer to Katniss winning.

"Does she got anything on her?" Marvel moves up, checking, digging through her pockets, and searching the area around.

"Doesn't look like it," He answers. The sun is coming close to coming up. It's that eerie time between darkness and light.

"_Better clear out so they can get the body before it starts stinking." _So harsh, like that girl didn't have a family back home. Like she didn't have a life before this. We start to walk away. Getting a good distance away before Kelly adds, "_Shouldn't we have heard a cannon by now?"_ It's a simple thought, but none of us had thought of it until now. I hadn't heard the unsettling boom, and it's so quiet right now, it would be easy to hear.

"_I'd say yes. Nothing to prevent them from going in immediately."_ Marvel says.

"_Unless she isn't dead." _Adds Glimmer.  
"_She's dead. I stuck her myself." _Says Cato.

"_Then where's the cannon?"_ Questions Kelly.

"_Someone should go back. Make sure the jobs down." _Says Clove.

"_Yeah, we don't want to have to track her down twice." _Says Glimmer.

"_I said she's dead!"_ Yells Cato.

"Well if she was then why didn't we hear the cannon?" Says Clove, bravely getting into Cato's face.

"She probably won't stay alive that much longer they way he wounded her!" Yells back Marvel. It goes on for quite a while longer until I can't take it anymore.

"_We're wasting time! I'll go finish her and let's move on!"_ I finally scream, taking my torch and moving back to the girl. Really if she was still alive, she would be in a lot of pain. I feel sorry for her, I said I would want to die quick, if it were me, I'd want some one to do it. I come back to her almost dead fire. I hear her rugged breathing. I know I have to get back to them fast, but I lean down and whisper into her ear.

"I'm sorry," I say, " You probably had a great life, your family will miss you."

She surprisingly answers back, "Do you really love her?" Her voice is full of pain, her breathing labored. I wonder why she'd ask such an unimportant question compared to what's happening.

"Yeah," I whisper back, "I love her with all my heart."

"Go ahead, let me die." She gives me permission. I grab my knife from my belt. I put it above my head and plunge it straight into her heart. She lets out one final breath, and the cannon booms.

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**Bleh, it's sad he had to kill her :'(, but they have to die... I hope you liked it a lot! And if you did you should review, it would make my day, and make me want to write more! Well anyways, Thank for reading -boywithbreadlover :)**


	22. Chapter 22

**Here's the next chapter, it's not really much, but it's here! Enjoy! I do not own THG any direct quotes are in italics.**

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**Ch. 21**

I pick my self up quickly. I take a short moment of silence for this girl, I didn't even know her name, or which district she came from, but I was one of the reasons she died. The walk back I don't think of anything else except for the fact that I was the one person to hear her last breath. It's silent on the short walk something I will only get to listen to a couple of times more for the rest of my life. I've always found silence one of the best things in life. It contains hope and new beginnings.

I come back to the clearing they had been standing in. They're all awkwardly standing there which gives me the idea that they were talking about me, good thing they didn't leave me. I look up in the trees before revealing myself to them. Then I see it; the corner of something. A bag, someone's up there. They've heard all of this. I hope it isn't Katniss, but just in case it is I need to get them out of here. Also if it's her, she knows. She knows I'm in with the careers. I'm a traitor, but I'm not, I'm helping her. I reveal myself to my so-called allies.

"_Was she dead?"_ Asks Cato as I walk in.

"_No. But she is now,"_ I try to be heartless like them, like she wasn't really a person, she was a tribute, we are supposed to die. "_Ready to move on?"_ I need to get them out of here before they start to look up. The birds will start singing soon, that usually makes people look up. We need to get away from the person in the tree, maybe Katniss, maybe not, but I can't take that risk.

We begin to run off. My leg which I hurt earlier start to feel more pain, but I have to keep up with the rest of the group. Luckily, after pushing myself to probably three miles Kelly suggest we stop and walk. Which I thank her; in my mind. I can't be put off as weak.

"So lover boy, do you know how fire girl pulled an eleven. She seems like a ditz to me." Cato comes to the back of the pack where I am. He doesn't have a drop of sweat on his body. I have to remind myself he probably runs ten miles for fun at home.

"Actually she was pretty secretive about it. She only told Haymitch. Something to do with knives I guess. I mean it's her specialty." I lie with out thinking twice about it. I've never really had a problem with words; they always just came to mind.

"No way, I got a ten and I'm the best at knives. You guys don't have the equipment that we have in District Two." Says Clove, entering into our conversation, "She's got to have some other skill. Don't you know what that is?"

I think. Snares! She can tie things really well, "She's really good at making traps and things, and she might've done a combination of the two. I don't know she didn't really tell me." The all just shake their heads. They didn't really get any real information from that, which is good, "I'm starved! Let's stop and eat." I suggest. They all agree and we find an area not far from where we were to rest. The sun is getting higher and higher in the sky and the temperature is rising with it. It's a good thing we brought water because there seems to be none in sight.

"Where do you think she is Lover Boy?" Asks Marvel, who was at the moment eating some dehydrated fruit.

"Well, Haymitch told us to find water. Probably near a source." I say, which in all honesty is the truth. But if that was her who I saw this morning, I don't think she's found it yet.

"There has to be a creek or something nearby, there's animal all around." Says Kelly, pointing out a rabbit running by. Which probably meant we would run into it sometime soon. I pick a pack of jerky from my bag. I'm glad I at least have food, if I was on my own; I have no idea how to hunt.

"Can you kill animals with that thing?" I ask Glimmer who is full out flirting with Cato at the moment. She stops and stares at me for a moment, then looks down to her bow, finally getting what I just said.

"Well I'm sure I can." She says laughing and again twirling her hair. Cato thought Katniss was ditzy? This girl was way ditzy.

"So you've never actually done it?" I ask, taking another bite of the jerky.

"Well no, but I'm really good. Can you?" She says looking at me with judging eyes.

"No, but I have a friend who's really good. She could shoot a bird from a mile away."

"Yeah, well she isn't in the Games now is she?"

"No, she's too good for the Games…" I say, lying again. If only they knew my friend was Katniss, the girl they hate so much, because they fear her. They know she's good, but at what?

"Let's go, we're burning daylight. We should go back to camp, see how that boy's doing on our booby trap. We don't want some one coming in and killing him." Says Cato, picking up the food he had taken from his pack. "We can kill a couple squirrels there, have a celebratory dinner."

"Celebrating what?" asks Clove.

"The first day in the arena." We all get up and start running. The sun is hot and I am so grateful for the water I have. We're a good six miles from camp and when Marvel brings up the fact that we should look for the other water source I'm almost dead, but I keep pushing through as we take the detour. Sure enough we come up upon a creek that all the other tributes must be using. It goes on and on in the other direction, I wonder how far it goes before the arena ends and the water goes away into pure land.

We're not that far from camp and I almost collapse into my tent when we get there. Some of the others stay awake and help the boy from District One with the booby trap, but some of us also sleep, it will be my turn to take guard in a little bit. I don't worry about that though, I just let sleep consume me.

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**I hope you liked it and don't forget to review on the way out! Thanks!**


	23. Chapter 23

******Here's the next chapter! As I was writing I realized something, I said the boy from one was setting the booby trap, but that's Marvel, it's the boy from Three! Oops! I fixed it in this chapter, but I'm sorry if you were confused. So anyways, Enjoy! I do not own THG any direct quotes are in italics.**

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**Ch. 23**

"So Lover boy, what'd you do back home?" Home; it's not something Katniss and I talked about during training, it's far to painful. But there Kelly was sitting across the way, asking me. I guess with the careers, they're just so sure they'll make it back. Home is an easy topic for them. I could tell Kelly didn't like the silence like I did. We had rested and it was the others turn to sleep. They had finished booby-trapping our stuff, but you could never be so sure. That's why I'm sitting across from Kelly with her asking painful questions that I really want to leave unanswered.

"My fathers a baker, it's become a family business though. We all help." I say it's all I can muster up, all I can handle. Does she want to know my brothers names? What my mom says to us each night? Does she want to know more?

"Oh interesting. Do you have a specialty?" My specialty is of course cakes, which is something not private to the people of District Twelve, but is something so personal to me. Whenever anything was hard I would just remember I would be going home and frosting cakes. The whole nation doesn't need to know this; Kelly doesn't need to know this. I've known her for twenty-four hours. Which isn't worthy of a real answer.

"No, I just help where ever help is needed. What do you do at home?" I need to turn the subject away from me. It brings up too much pain and I don't know if I can handle it. She leans back on her elbows, letting herself relax and remember home.

"Oh, well, my dad owns a tackle shop. I'm a merchant kid too. I just love getting to hear all the fisherman's stories; they're like a second family really. Which is why I was already close with Finnick, our mentor." They were close? I didn't really pay attention. I didn't really think about tributes having relationships with their mentors. In the career districts their Victors our so celebrated, I guess everyone had to know them. Haymitch kind of just hides out in his house all day. I hear the only place to see him is the Hob. Which I never go there; my mom would die. We don't hold him any higher though, the only difference is he goes to the Capitol each year and lives in a bigger house.

"You were close?" I ask looking around, checking for any daring tributes.

"Oh yeah, whenever he went on big trips he would ask us to watch over Annie Cresta, she's kind of went crazy in her games and Finnick is a good guy and watches over her. He trusts us with her. I've always kind of admired him." She looks up to the sky, probably trying to look for a camera. Finnick was sure to be watching this as her mentor, " I mean usually the girl tribute from my district would be mentored by Leyla, but Finnick wanted to mentor me. He was out a lot while we were in the Capitol though. I didn't get to see him much…" She says. She leaves it open, but it ends our conversation. She finally gives me the silence I've been wanting as she snacks on jerky.

Cato had done what he said and had gotten us a couple squirrels; he had already skinned and gutted them. He told me to wait for a bit, but then I could start cooking them. It was going to be a long night he said, we needed our food. It had been awhile since the others had gone to rest and I decided to get the fire started. I didn't get to use any of my new skill on how to start a fire that I learned during training. Since I was with the careers we had matches. Tons of them. Finding wood was easy and I had the fire started before no time at all. The squirrels were cooking fast as well and soon I had awoken the other careers with the smell of meat.

"Lover boy, you know I shot one of those. I told you I could do it." Says Glimmer as she gets out of her tent.

"Was it through the eye?" Remembering the tons of squirrels Katniss had killed and traded with us.

"Well you had to be there to know." Says Glimmer sitting down by my expert fire. She had just basically told me she didn't. I was starting to think she was overrated.

"She was amazing." Said Cato, coming and sitting down by her.

"I got one with my knife." Says Clove sitting down next to Cato, trying to get his attention as well. It was pretty clear he had chosen Glimmer as his last hurray. I just hope things didn't get to nasty between the two girls. As the squirrels finish cooking, I pass them around; they had shot four, which was plenty. Cato decides to have one to himself and I share with the boy from Three. The others share as well as Cato begins to talk.

"So, we didn't get her last night, but we will tonight. We can't let her live that much longer. If one of you sees her, tell me. She's my kill. It'll show her that getting an eleven isn't a good thing. Since Lover Boy said she'd be by a source we should walk along the creek, she'll probably be by it." Cato looks over to me, "You said she was good with traps, does that mean snares too?"

"Um, not sure, but probably." I say. Of course it was snares, it was why she was so good at tying things.

"If you guys see any snares, she's probably near. Keep your eyes open. We'll go slower tonight. We might've missed something last night. Bring your bags, we might sleep out there." Cato finishes his strategy and we all agree, eating our delicious squirrel in the process.

"Do I go?" asks the boy from three, who I'm embarrassed to say I haven't learned his name. He sits eagerly as he waits for Cato's answer. He so clearly wants to be in the middle of things. In the "fun" stuff which isn't really fun. It was dangerous, and has the risk of getting you killed, but I guess you don't worry about that when you're a career. Except when they start turning against each other, that's when things got evil.

"No, tonight's a long night, I need you to stay, just in case." The boy hangs his head, clearly defeated. It must be hard, getting in with the careers and not being valued. It's like your just waiting for your death to come. Just taking a number.

We finish up and Cato rests for a little while longer. It's not dark yet and that's the best time to go, to catch people off guard. I have to say I'm not tired after having a power nap earlier. I just decide to wait and watch my fire as the sun goes down and the moon comes out.

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**So the next chapter will be more exciting, because it's the fire! I was going to put it in this chapter, but I decided it would be better for the next. I figure that's it's interesting to find out what he did with the Careers because we don't really get to know that. So I hope you liked it and don't forget to review on the way out!**


	24. Chapter 24

**Next Chapter! I put in some Glato and Clato stuff, I know there's a lot of fans for Clato, I'm not really for either one, but anyways I hope you enjoy! I do not own THG any direct quotes are in italics.**

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**Ch. 24**

We leave camp way earlier than we did last night. I can tell Cato is getting nervous that he'll never actually find Katniss. That maybe she'll find him, that maybe he isn't the best. We take the slim sleeping bags that had been in the cornucopia, food, and tons of water. Of course we also bring our weapons and we're off. We run to the creek first, but then we stop to walk, Cato doesn't want to miss anything.

"Cato don't you think this is a little to slow, your not even paying attention." Clove says, clearly annoyed that Glimmer and him were laughing. I'm pretty sure Cato and Glimmer were back in his tent making out after dinner. It didn't make Clove to happy and Marvel seemed slightly annoyed.

"Yeah well I don't want to miss anything. We have to keep our eyes open. She could be anywhere." Cato says, as he stops and looks around, which he's been doing every five minutes. It's dark and I was actually lucky enough to get a flashlight tonight. Kelly was the one stuck with the torch, which was really a pain to run with. It would almost blow in my face, scaring me with heat; it wasn't Cinna's fake creation. I felt bad to leave Kelly with it, but then I remember they all want me dead, Katniss dead, all they really want is to win. They could care less about me, why should I care about them? But then I remember how Kelly actually tried to talk to me, actually opened up to me. Maybe we could be friends under different circumstances, she wasn't so brutal like the others. Or clueless in Glimmer's case.

I come back to the conversation, which had turned into a fight, "Your just jealous Clove!" says Glimmer spitting in her face, as she grabs Cato's hand.

"Jealous? Jealous of what? I just thought Cato had higher standards. I guess I was wrong!" Says Clove moving to her coat for a knife.

"Wow! Now isn't the time for this. We need to go! Put all of this stuff behind us." We start walking again and then I hear Clove. It's silent and isn't really meant for anyone to hear, but I do, "I would if you would just stop rubbing it in my face." I wonder if Cato and her had history. A story that no one knows about. A story that will most likely die with them. I wonder if they loved, if maybe deep down in their rock cold hearts there was some feelings. Clove pushes past me, accidentally pushing her shoulder against mine. I watch as she wipes a tear from her face and keeps moving on. I could've been imagining it, after all it was dark, but I think it was there. Maybe they weren't as bad as I thought they were. But then I think about it, they're murderers. Eleven dead at the Cornucopia, I wonder how many Clove had killed with her knife skills or Cato with his sword, Marvel with his spear. When it comes down to it, none of us are perfect, but they do it with pride. It's sick.

We walk in silence for the next hour, occasionally stopping, looking around. Then we start to walk again. Cato and Glimmer walk hand in hand like the popular kids at high school. It's not love, it's actually far from it, it is just a last minute fling. Something to get in before you die. It is nothing like my undying love for Katniss. Cato would never sacrifice himself for Glimmer. Why were they doing this?

After a few hours we're all pretty tired, it's probably three in the morning, and considering we only had a few hours of sleep, we were dead. We decide to stop and rest. Marvel builds a fire and we all get out our sleeping bags. Glimmer had "forgotten" hers and had to share with Cato. What a coincidence.

Clove seeing this gets up, "Cato can we talk, over there?" She points into the darkness, where no one can see anything. Cato agrees and kisses Glimmer before leaving. They're gone for quite awhile. I heard snit-bits of their conversation because I was the closest to them, things like, "Cato I missed you. You just left me." Then they would get quiet again, remembering others were close.

"I'm sorry I thought we were over and there's no way we can be together now." Cato says, and they get quiet again. So there was a story. One with out a happy ending, but any story is worth telling.

I fall asleep shortly after they come back. Clove not looking any happier and Cato, well he was just happy to get in a sleeping bag with Glimmer. I don't think he cared about Clove any more. That chapter was over and now this one had started. There was no room in the Hunger Games for real love. They weren't made for me.

I wake with a start to Glimmer screaming. "Fire! Over there! They're shooting it at us." She screams, although it's hard to decipher. We all wake up fast and sloppily pick up our things scattered around. BOOM! A fireball shoots a tree not ten feet from us. The heat quickly envelops us. It's overbearing. I stuff my sleeping bag into my pack and start running with the rest of them. Not before the smoke gets to me though. It fills my lungs and makes running ten times harder.

"They're trying to draw us closer together!" Shouts Cato as we hear another fireball hit a tree. It's amazing how something we all were thankful for just a few hours ago, was now close to killing us. The small heat we had produced last night was magnified times one hundred, making it feel as if we were inside the oven back home. We just run and run and run. Once we make it back to the lake, we'll be in a clearing; they probably won't be setting fires there. The smoke starts to get heavier, but the fire balls start to be few and far in-between. I do get a few burns while running, but it's not to bad. It could've been ten times worse.

Soon there's no fire at all, they only want to bring the tributes in so far, but there is still tons of smoke. We slow down to walk, not feeling the threat anymore, but we know that the clearing would be the best for fresh air.

Once we make it in Cato is smiling, "She's in closer now! She won't be for long though, so we only rest for a little bit, just to get the smoke out of our lungs. Then we are off!" Cato takes a drink of water and goes to his tent. I drink about two gallons of water in my tent before looking at the small burns on my legs. I hate burns. I just have to ignore them because my first aid kit doesn't have any ointment. It's too bad, I could really use it.

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**I hope you liked it! The tracker-jackers are coming up! Oh my! Haha :) Don't forget to review on the way out! Thanks :) -boywithbreadlover**


	25. Chapter 25

**Here's the next chapter, I like this one, it's a little more exciting :) Enjoy! I do not own THG any direct quotes are in italics :)**

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**Ch. 25**

It was a quick sound, but it was noticeable, the sound of someone moving as we turn a corner. Someone was there resting. Then I see it, her braid swinging low on her back as she runs as fast as she can. I pray they don't see her, that maybe I can lead them away. We had just left camp less than thirty minutes ago; I didn't expect to run into her.

"It's her!" calls Cato, "Run." I guess I didn't pray hard enough as everyone picks up there pace. We're all slowed down by the smoke still in our systems, but so is Katniss. Every tribute has to be slowed down. We're all moving at the same pace.

I can't say anything to make them turn around; I just have to hope she does something to get away. I'm stuck in between a rock and a hard place here. I guess I didn't really think about if they found her. I just thought I would see her first and be able to lead them away.

As we close in on Katniss, I see her stop in front of a tree and start to climb. Of course, why didn't I think of her doing that? She moves fast up the trunk, but not fast enough. I can see her pant leg torn, her leg bright red. The fire must've hit her. Now the term The Girl On Fire had even more to it's meaning. Oh how the capitol people must've been laughing.

We reach the base and she's a good twenty feet up, but she's stopped. She stares at us, we stare at her. If any of them can climb we're in a bad spot. I can't very well take any of them on. Maybe if I can distract them long enough, she can jump to another tree.

Then she speaks and I hear the voice I've been longing to hear for a while. I haven't heard since the night before we went in, which isn't that long ago, but it seems like ages, "_How's everything with you?"_ She asks with a smile on her face. She doesn't flash that around to often. But I guess the Games makes everyone crazy.

The rest of the careers all take a double take. It's like she had ran into them at the market or was out to get a cup of coffee with them, not that they wanted to kill her or anything. I know she saw this as comical and of course the Capitol is probably cracking up right now.

Cato answers, "_Well enough. Yourself?"_ He tries to add the same cheerfulness, but it just comes out hateful.

"_It's been a bit warm for my taste." _She says, looking up towards the big bright sun. She looks back down a smile playing on her lips, "_The air's better up here. Why don't you come up?"_ Why was she inviting him up? It's like she's begging for a kill. Or maybe she's just being her; maybe she wants a fight as well. She has to see big, strong Cato as a threat, she wants him dead as much as he wants her dead.

"_Think I will."_ Says Cato.

"_Here, take this, Cato."_ Says Glimmer handing him her bow and arrows. I don't think Glimmer thinks this is just a fling…

"_No," _says Cato, rudely pushing away the offer, "_I'll do better with my sword."_ He hoists himself up the trunk and begins to chase Katniss as she goes higher. We all hear the crack, wincing as Cato begins to fall. It's loud when his body hits the ground. I almost think he's unconscious, but sure enough he stands up, mad as ever.

"Glimmer your small, you go up." Says Kelly. Glimmer listens to her, and Katniss is really high up already, I doubt an untrained climber could get that high. We watch as Katniss gets smaller and smaller. Glimmer actually gets farther than I thought she could, but then the branches begin to crack under her feet. She sets an arrow into her bow. She holds it very weirdly and I realize all the hype she created around her archery skills were false as she shoots it and misses Katniss by a lot. The arrow lodges into another tree and Katniss grabs it, waving it mockingly over our heads. Glimmer comes back down as we huddle around to make a plan.

"Clove how far can you throw those things?" Asks Cato, pointing to her array of knives.

"I can throw them far, but not that far up, gravity can only get you so far." Says Clove.

"Why don't we…" Kelly leaves it open; either deciding her plan was stupid or not having one at all.

Now's my chance to give Katniss time, "_Oh, let her stay up there. It's not like she's going anywhere. We'll deal with her in the morning."_ I say, hopefully she can hop to another tree, or devise another plan. It should be enough time for her. We start to make camp. It's late afternoon. This day had been a long day, with some close calls, but I'm hoping she'll get out of this one.

In the next few hours we don't do much except devise a guard plan and eat squirrel. I look up every so often to see if I can see her, so high up. How does she handle it up so high? I'd be afraid to fall, but Katniss probably has spent a lot of time up in the trees back home. It might even be a second nature.

When night comes I fall asleep instantly. The smoke made me really tired and I wasn't excited for the moment that Marvel would wake me up for me to take guard. It came too soon, but really didn't last long, and then I was back to sleep.

Bam! I'm instantly awakened and I see it. A giant nest had fallen down on the camp. It's not just any nest it's a tracker jacker nest. Capitol made wasps, with venom that does crazy things to people. I've never been stung before, but from what I've heard I don't want to be. We all get up quickly running. All yelling, "To the lake!" I hear Glimmer in the back, "Cato! Cato! Help!" I guess that "fling" only goes so far. He just keeps running, and so do I. I look back to see Kelly being stung multiple times as well as Glimmer. In that moment I get stung twice, once behind my ear, then another on my back. I decide it'd be good to keep running. I need to get to the lake and then back to that spot before Cato does, if Katniss is still there she's dead when Cato gets there. I get stung two more times while running. Both on my legs. I jump into the lake and the tracker jackers steer clear of that. I get out quickly and start running back. I'm praying Katniss has left because Cato is only a couple hundred feet behind me, his sword in hand. I get back to the spot fast, but the venom is starting to set in. I see Katniss instantly at Glimmer's body, taking something. The bow? I wasn't sure I couldn't see straight. While hurrying to get out of there I had picked up Marvel's spear in confusion, I still had it with me, but I wasn't sure why.

_"What are you still doing here?" _I say she looks at me, like a lost child, "_Are you mad?"_ I turn the spear around and try to get her up with it, "_Get up! Get up!" _I hear Cato coming; he's really close, "_Run! Run!"_

"That was a mistake lover boy! What were you thinking?" I turn around fast and face Cato. The venom was starting to get to me, Cato as well. The spear suddenly seems too heavy. I drop it quickly. Cato pulls out his sword and comes towards me, slashing me in the leg, cutting it deep. The pain is overwhelming, but I know I must leave. Cato falls over tripping on an unseen rock. I muster all my strength and run. Well at least it feels like running, I couldn't really tell as the tracker jacker venom spreads.

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**I hope you liked this one, the next one will be his tracker jacker "trip" which I'd be lying if I said I wasn't a little bit excited to write. I've already got my imagination going. You probably won't get it till late tomorrow, but if you haven't read it yet you can go read my One Shot. A Couple Months Later... it's set a couple months later after the 74th Hunger Games. So that'd be awesome if you read that :P Don't forget to review on the way out -boywithbreadlover**


	26. Chapter 26

**So here's the tracker jacker "trip" It's actually kind of sad, but I like it, so enjoy! I do not own THG and any direct quotes are in italics.**

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**Ch. 26**

My brain tells me to stop to rest, but I keep going. I'm in water now, and it appears to be bubbling, and consuming me. In my mind it tells me it's poison, but the only pain I feel is Cato's deep cut on my leg. I fall many times in the water, and it's getting harder and harder to keep going. My instincts says go, my mind says rest. In all honesty my judgment isn't the best right now as I keep seeing crazy things. I saw a bird fly and it got bigger and bigger until it just exploded. I run into a giant boulder in the creek, I decide to just lie against it, for only a while.

"Katniss don't go!" I plead as Katniss packs her bags. She looks mad, her face puckered and lost. I hear a baby in the background crying, but we were not doing anything about it.

"Peeta I have to. We don't work anymore." She takes something off her finger and sets it in my hands. It's a ring, a modest one, but you can tell it's meant for marriage.

"What about her? She's my daughter too. You can't just leave. I love you." She finishes packing. She goes into another room to get something. The loud screams of our daughter finally stop. Katniss comes back in, our daughter in her arms. Her grey eyes illuminate the room, brightening it just like Katniss' do.

"Yeah, well I don't love you anymore." My heart jabs with pain. My knees buckle under me and with that she leaves.

I once heard that tracker jacker venom was made to target your fears, it's able to make you more scared than anything else ever could. It was useful during the war, for torture, and just to hurt morale. Now it was perfect for the games. What it must be like in the capitol to see these kids go crazy. But now I realize my number one fear is to lose Katniss. It's what I'll be going through for the next couple hours, in multiple different ways. I look to see a tree, something gooey oozing out of it. The goo seeps into the river looking likes it's coming right towards me. I close my eyes and wait for more pain.

"Look at that lover boy I've got her." I look to Cato, a hysterical Katniss in his arms, and a sword to her neck.

"Peeta! Peeta Please! I love you! Don't let him do this!" Cato tightens his grip and starts to draws blood. I try to think of something, anything, but it's worthless I'm stuck like I was in my dream not to long ago in the Capitol. I try to move, but my legs won't let me. It's like they're not there. "Peeta! Peeta! Peeta!" Katniss cries out. She starts screaming. I try to look away, but my head won't move either. I watch as the screams stop and the sword slices through.

I come out of it to my own screams, "Katniss! No!" I try to calm my self down to let the fear seep out, but it doesn't go. The fear gets stronger as another scary nightmare begins.

"We're sorry to inform you sir," It was a doctor, calm and approachable, but still a little scary.

"It's Peeta," I say lifting up my head, looking into the eyes of this stranger.

"Huh?" I had interrupted whatever she had wanted to say.

"My name, it's Peeta." I say.

"Oh well Peeta, there was some complications." She says, and I take it all in, the hospital, the waiting room, a sad doctor.

"No, they said it would be almost to easy to do, that there would be no problems. She's still alive. Please, she has to be." I feel the tears come out of my eyes, rolling down my cheeks.

"There was some complications, I'm sorry, Ms. Everdeen did not make it." She puts her hand on my knee, but I don't except it. I push it away and stand up.

"NOOO!" I scream, this wasn't supposed to be this way, "She's fine, you're just, your joking. It's a sick joke, but you're joking. Ha-ha, it's funny right?"

"I'm sorry sir, um, Peeta. She didn't make it. I'm not joking." What does she mean she didn't make it? She was perfectly fine; it was just a routine surgery. We were supposed to go home tonight, I was supposed to purpose. "Would you like to see her, one last time?" The lady's touch is gentle, almost calming, but not enough. I nod, and she leads me. It's not Katniss, it's her body, but it's not her. It's empty and cold, not full of life, she really is gone.

I wake up screaming again. This time full of sorrow. I look down to my leg, blood spilling out of it, but then the blood turns to snakes, coming up to my eyes and eating them, knocking me out for good. Leaving me in endless hours of pain.

"Peeta, this is nice. I can't believe you did this. What am I saying, it's why I love you." Katniss looks at me across a candlelight table. Her hair is out, and she's wearing red, a color I love her in. It really illuminates her features.

"Well I do it because I love you." I whisper grabbing her hand and kissing it. She giggles. Then we go silent as we hear the door slam open. I have no idea who it'd be. People come loudly into our living room, turning the lights on as they come in. It's Peacekeepers.

"Katniss Everdeen?" They ask.

"That's me, what's wrong?" They don't say anything they just grab her.

"You've got a personal meeting with President Snow, you've been hunting off land. And leaving the district. You're going to be executed." They say, it's blunt and scary.

"Don't you think that's a little harsh?" I say getting up from the table.

"Not for all she's done." They drag her away.

"Peeta I love you," It's the last thing I hear before they take her away.

There are so many more nightmares of me losing her. In every one I already have her, she's mine, but then she's ripped from my hands. Tearing my heart apart. I have to watch her die, leave, and get arrested over and over again, in so many different circumstances. It's a while before I'm able to walk again. I know I must start moving, while my leg still can. If I stay to long, I won't be able to leave later. Then I'll just be an easy kill. The only way I fight through this venom enough to be able to walk is probably just pure adrenaline. It's hard as I walk in the water, finding somewhere far away. I finally stop and go to the side of the creek. I just lie there and let the nightmares play. I watch again as Katniss leaves and dies and get arrested. It's probably hours before it finally stops and leaves me completely tired. After I rest I will camouflage, but right now, in this time, there's nothing I need more than sleep. And maybe, just maybe, Katniss as well.

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**I love that last sentence, it kind of gives me chills, hehe, not really :) But I do really like it. So don't forget to review on the way out! Thanks. -boywithbreadlover**


	27. Chapter 27

**Here's the next chapter! It's not really exciting, but it will be coming up! Enjoy! I do not own THG any direct quotes will be in italics.**

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**Ch. 27**

I don't know how long I've been asleep when I finally wake up. I just know I'm lucky I'm not dead and that when the anthem plays at night, there's no faces shown. I get to work on camouflaging myself because really I'm just out in the open. It's hard to get all the mud to cover my body. I can't very well move my leg, with the huge cut in it. It's easier to just cover my face, but my whole body would just be out in the open. Just covering my face would not be worth much. I get to work on my legs first, to get the hardest part done first.

I try to forget my nightmares about losing Katniss. They have been replaying through my mind over and over again. I just try to think about the good part that she was mine, but then the bad parts always seep in. It's like the tracker jacker venom is still there, coursing through my blood, there to haunt me forever. Not that I'll live that much longer. I'd stopped bleeding, but it had to get infected. I guess I'll just be laying here until death comes to take me away.

I've failed Katniss, there's no way I'll be able to help her now. At least I know she got the bow and arrows. I try to remind myself that she's pro, but then I remember Clove with her knives, Cato with his sword, even Marvel with his spear. It's all too much. When it comes down to it, will she be able to shoot fast enough? Will the arrow find Cato's heart before he takes a swing? I can't worry about it; it's not in my hands at all now. Maybe Haymitch can help her in some way that I couldn't. It's all I can hope for. It takes a couple hours to finish covering my legs, but then I move to my torso, which is much easier.

At late afternoon I hear a big boom, which I hope isn't a cannon signaling Katniss' death. But then I think about it, it didn't sound like a cannon, but something bigger, much bigger. Some one has probably set off the boy from District Three's booby trap. I don't think he'll be living much longer. Another boom happens not long after that; a couple of mines with a late reaction. Not long after that, I hear the usual unsettling sound of a cannon, signaling another death. I hope it's the boy from Three and not Katniss. It's all I can hope for, and the anthem can't come fast enough.

I spend the next hours camouflaging, passing the time until the anthem plays. When it does start I practically jump with excitement, which I really can't do because I'm covered in mud and forced to lay here until death finds me. I watch, as the boy from District Three is shown along with the boy from Ten, but nothing else. Just the anthem, seal, and gone. Katniss is still alive. I wonder how many tributes that leaves. I can't tell how many days I was out for and of course I don't know how many tributes have died with in that time. I just have this feeling that Katniss is still here, still fighting for her life.

I find peace in sleep and I'm not awaken until the late afternoon with a cannon. A few minutes later another cannon is fired in the air. Two deaths within a matter of minutes. They had to be connected, but how? Was Katniss involved? Was the end of her life just told to me through a loud boom? It's another day of waiting for the anthem. It comes slowly today, since I have no work to occupy my time. I only have to stare up at the sky as the sun gets lower and the sky gets darker.

It wasn't Katniss. It was Marvel and Rue, a small tiny girl from Eleven, who liked to follow us around during training. I think she liked Katniss, in some way she looked up to her.

The next day I sleep through entirely. Until the anthem, which wakes me up only, to find that there was no deaths today. Just as I'm about to go back to sleep I hear the trumpets. A clear sign that Claudius Templesmith will be telling us something, probably to invite us to a feast, that I would never be able to attend in a million years. Unless they brought it to me.

"Congratulations to the six final tributes." Six still alive, eighteen families mourning, but something I've been wondering about is finally revealed to me. Six still alive. It's crazy, never thought I'd make it this far. "It seems we've had a rule change. If two tributes from the same district are still alive as the final two, both will be crowned victors." I don't really comprehend until he adds, "If two tributes from the same district are still alive as the final two, both will be crowned victor." I let the words play around in my head before I finally put them together. Maybe my fate isn't so bad; I can make it out alive with Katniss. I can have a chance with her. She can be mine. The only question is, will she come to find me? It's hard to answer. If she comes here, I won't be giving her any advantage. My cut has probably been infected; I'm on the verge of death. I'm probably going to need medicine from the Capitol. Which would take a very nice sponsor. If Katniss comes here I'll be slowing her down, she won't be able to go hunting if I'm just laying here defenseless. Let's face it I can't do much else.

The only thing I'm running on is that Katniss doesn't know of my injury. Or maybe, when I professed my love for her, she felt something to. That maybe she couldn't stand the fact of losing me. That maybe I'm her everything. But all that is a little too much to hope for.

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**Thanks for reading! The next chapter should be posted tomorrow! Don't forget to review on the way out! Thanks! -boywithbreadlover**


	28. Chapter 28

**So here's the next chapter! And I made another mistake, I try to stay accurate to the book so I like to tell you guys when I mess up, to keep me honest, so anyways, Peeta didn't get stung on his legs, there were three on his chest and one behind his ear, Which I fix in this chapter and he also has a burn across his chest which I did not write about! Oops! I hope you'll forgive me :) Anyways, Enjoy! I do not own THG so any direct quotes will be in italics. **

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**Ch. 28**

I wake with a start to the sounds of someone coming near. I dare to open my eyes and risk them seeing me to see if it's Katniss. I open them quickly. Shutting them just as quick. In that quick moment of sight I saw her. She had actually come for me.

"_You here to finish me off sweetheart?"_ I say, adding Haymitch's flare, which Katniss hated.

"_Peeta?"_ She turns around, but doesn't see me, because my eyes are still closed, "_Where are you?"_ I stay silent, wanting to make her worry, like she did to me when the careers found her, "_Peeta?"_ She walks on along the bank searching for anything.

She's just about to step on me when I say, "_Well don't step on me." _She jumps back almost falling on her back. I open my eyes and reveal myself as she gasps. She's so surprised it's funny. Her eyes wide, mouth open. It just makes me happy to know she's here.

"_Close your eyes again."_ The only thing I can get from this is that she wants to admire my expert camouflaging skills. I close my eyes like she asks along with my mouth. "_I guess all those hours decorating cakes finally paid off." _She says, acknowledging, finally, that I was pretty good.

"_Yes, frosting. The final defense of dying." _It was a joke, but really when it came down to it, it was the truth. If I was just going to be lying here I might as well hide.

"_You're not going to die."_ She says. And she's so sure, she hasn't seen my wounds or anything, she just knows. She doesn't want me to die; she can't imagine it, maybe? It's just that when someone's that sure, they're running on hope, and hope comes from a want. She wants me alive. I have to be alive.

"_Says who?" _ I say wanting her to admit, that she wants me out of here alive, that maybe she can't stand to have me dead. The Star-crossed Lovers from District Twelve. Right?

"_Says me. We're on the same team now, you know." _Yeah I know, there's no other way she would come out to save me. If there were absolutely no way that I could live and her still be alive to in the end, she would never come out here. I wouldn't want her to. I wanted her to be the victor. So she could go home, but now that there's a chance we both can win, I guess there's no other answer than to be a team.

"_So, I heard. Nice of you to find what's left of me." _Her eyes register something, longing? But that quickly goes away, as she looks me over.

"_Did Cato cut you?"_ She asks, giving me water to quench my dying throat. I didn't really notice it until she had pulled out the water. Then I realized how badly I needed it.

"_Left leg. Up high." _I answer, nodding my head towards the forgotten pain.

"_Let's get you in the stream, wash you off so I can see what kind of wound you've got." _She starts to look at me, not really sure how to get me there. Her face is perplexed, but beautiful. It's dirty with a couple of scratches across her cheeks. But her grey eyes still brighten everything about her. They look tired and lost, but they're still there, still everything I've ever wanted.

"_Lean down a minute first." _I say, "_Need to tell you something." _She leans over and gets her face closer than she's ever gotten it to me, but it's her ear she gives me, not her lips. "_Remember, we're madly in love, so it's all right to kiss me anytime you feel like it." _ It's a clever move; the capitol must be on the edge of their seat waiting for the first real kiss on the Hunger Games ever.

Katniss tilts her head back and laughs. It's a pretty laugh, something that makes my day, but I haven't really heard it a lot. To know that I'm the one that caused the laughter, it's almost better than a kiss, but only almost. "_Thanks, I'll keep that in mind."_ She says. Then she gets to work on trying to get me into the creek. We're really close, but it's obvious real soon that it will be causing real pain to me. She tries pulling me first, I feel bad because I have no real strength to help. I haven't had food in days, and have probably lost a gallon of blood. I try not to show her my pain, to just fight through it, but she sees the tears, and hears my silent cries of pain. She finally gives one big tug, to get me out of the camouflage of mud I had put myself in, and I'm instantly out of the mud. But I'm still not any closer to the creek. She tries to roll me, but after one roll, it's too much for me. It puts pressure on my leg and makes the pain unbearable. I scream like a dying pig, and it isn't pretty. When she decides to devise a new plan and just sit me beside the creek, I couldn't be happier.

I get silence, as she works the mud out of my hair, off my face, and from my skin. I watch as the sun shines over our heads, highlighting Katniss' brown hair. Her fingers are soothing as they work away the layers of mud. She finally gets to my clothes. She gently takes away my jacket, and my shirt. My body has changed in the last week and the new meat I had been able to put on in the capitol was gone and the muscles that were so prominently there are beginning to fade. My undershirt has basically grown into my body. Katniss has to cut it away with a knife, but she does eventually get it off. The tracker jacker stings are staggered across my chest, only three, but they're pretty big. A burn from the fire is bright red across my chest as well. It's amazing how my body has given its attention to only one thing, the cut in my leg, because it was obviously the one draining my life, obviously the one that needed the most attention. But when Katniss brought attention to these things, I could feel the pain again. She has to dig the stingers out, which is painful, but I know it must be done. She has leaves that quickly relieve the pain from them. They work like magic. She obviously has some nice sponsors as well; because she pulls out a can of burn cream, straight from the capitol. It eases the pain from the burn quickly. I thank these sponsors in my head as Katniss keeps on working.

At one time she stops her work immediately and walks over to her bag. She digs through it for a second and comes back to me, "_Swallow these."_ She hands me a couple of pills, which I take like she said to, "_You must be hungry."_

_ "Not really. It's funny, I haven't been hungry for days," _I say. She offers me some kind of meat, but it doesn't look good at all. I wrinkle my nose away to it. Her eyes fill with worry when I do this.

"_Peeta, we need to get some food in you." _ She says.

"_It'll just come right back up." _I say, but the least I can do is amuse her. I accept a few dehydrated apples, but I don't eat much, "_Thanks. I'm much better, really. Can I sleep now Katniss?"_

_"Soon. I need to look at your leg first."_ So she moves on, as I try my best to stay awake.

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**I hope you liked it! The next chapter will probably be up late tonight so keep your eyes wide open :) Do not forget to review on the way out! Thanks -boywithbreadlover**


	29. Chapter 29

**Here's the next chapter! It's not very long, but I like it. I hope you enjoy! I do not own THG so any direct quotes will be in italics!**

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**Ch. 29**

_"Pretty awful, huh?"_ I say looking at Katniss. She tries to compose herself as she looks at my leg; it's hard for me to look at it myself. Katniss looks like she's about to throw up whatever she'd eaten last. I'd thought since her mother was a healer she would be comfortable around such things. I've seen the people they've rushed to the Everdeen's, they're much worse than me. Katniss must leave. I know Prim likes to help, but the healer trait was definitely not passed to Katniss.

She tries to compose herself, but I still see the fear in her eyes, "_So-so. You should see some of the people they bring my mother from the mines." _She's trying to hide what I already have figured out, that she's not into that stuff, "_First thing is to clean it well."_

Taking off my pants had been hard, but she had gotten them off eventually. Not soon after did she see my wound. Now it was hard to look at the white puss mixed with still coming blood. It didn't smell too pretty either. She had started to wash off my legs, avoiding the cut as much as she could. With each pour of water, my leg got redder, the cut more scary. This wasn't amateur stuff. She seemed to get sicker and sicker with each pour of the water.

"_Why don't we give it some air and then…"_ Katniss says, looking at the wound one last time before going to the other side of me and sighing. She honestly doesn't know what do next. She is as scared as I am.

"_And then you'll patch it up?"_ I say, trying to help her along. Honestly I think she isn't completely here. I lost her somewhere between taking my pants off and cleaning my legs.

"_That's right. In the meantime, you eat these." _ She hands me dried pears. Which actually sort of sound good, but not really. She goes into the creek to wash my clothes, riddled with mud. After that she goes to dig through a first aid kit, but I don't think she finds much to help something to this extent. Right now I think I need a trained doctor. But the daughter of a healer is the closest thing I'll get. At least I love her.

"_We're going to have to experiment some."_ She admits. She starts using the leaves that were used for the tracker jacker stings. They seem to draw out a lot of puss as the stuff starts running down my leg. Katniss looks even worse than she did before.

I decide to lighten the mood, but really the words I say are serious, "_Katniss?"_ Her deep grey eyes meet mine, "_How about that kiss?"_ I get another laugh from her. Her head tilted back, wind blowing her stray hairs; she's absolutely gorgeous. At least I got her to look away from my gruesome leg for at least a second. "_Something wrong?"_ I ask oblivious. I would love that kiss, but really she was just treating my gross, disgusting leg. Nothing like puss to put you in the mood. I was really just trying to get that laugh again; it's like wind chimes in the spring.

"_I… I'm no good at this." _She finally admits, "_I'm not my mother. I've no idea what I'm doing and I hate pus. Euh!"_ She expresses her true feelings. I was kind of getting tired of her trying to be strong for me. She didn't have to do that; I'm okay with her being weak with me. It's what you do with the people you love; you let your guard down. I know she was just trying to make it so I wasn't scared, but she can't stop that. I've been scared since the moment the games started. I just have to be strong! I have to fight through this, not only for me, but also for Katniss. Because for some reason she wants me, no she needs me alive. Why else would she try so hard?

Katniss is so disgusted by this, but how does she hunt, having to kill the animal then skin and gut it? It couldn't be much worse than this, but she hunts so easily. It's her life style, "_How do you hunt?"_ I ask her as she keeps on working on my leg, even though she's kind of sort of let her guard down.

_"Trust me. Killing things is much easier than this. Although for all I know, I am killing you." _Her face scrunches as she looks at my leg.

"_Could you speed it up a little?"_ I ask.

"_Shut up and eat your pears." _That comment, right there, shows me that she doesn't want me to die. She's avoiding really saying it to my face, but she lets settle comments drop. I watch as she just keeps working, her brow furrowing, and her face deep in work. She's really trying. It's one of the things I love about her, how she puts in all or nothing. When she decided she was going to provide for her family, she really went out there and did it. She risked getting caught and charged, but she knew she had to do it. And now working on my leg, she doesn't really want to do it, but she has to. She's decided she wants to save me and she's all in. She can't back out now, not after all of this. We're a team. And sure I'm the crappy teammate that screws everything up right now, but still. Katniss chose to save me. She actually wants me alive, which is a step up from not knowing I existed.

I remember all the endless afternoons, frosting bag in hand, watching as Katniss walked by. Most of the time a grimace on her face. The only time she would be smiling was if Prim was by her side, holding her hand. I always wondered if she ever looked at me, if she wondered how my day went. But then I remembered all I was to her was the baker's son. Nothing more. Now, if we make it back, which is a risky thing to say, Cato and Clove are still in, but if we do I'll actually have a chance with her. Maybe she'll be mine and all my wildest dreams will come true.

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**I hope you liked it! Guess who's birthday is tomorrow (August 10th) Suzanne Collins! Our favorite author! Yay! Haha, anyways, don't forget to review on the way out! Thanks -boywithbreadlover **


	30. Chapter 30

**Hey, so I am absolutely in love with this chapter! I love it! You'll know why at the end, it just left me so happy after finishing it :) I can't wait for you guys to read it! It's also the 30th chapter so that's awesome! Anyways I hope you Enjoy! I do not own THG so any direct quotes will be in italics.**

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**Ch. 30**

Katniss had finally finished with my leg, well what she could do with it any way, and had wrapped it up. Now it was out of sight and out of mind, the pain had made its way to the back of my mind. All I really could think about was Katniss' lips meeting mine. The moment I'd been dreaming about since forever. It had a very good chance of happening. I knew she had feelings for me. She just had to act on those feelings; I just didn't know how long that would take. I'm just so impatient right now. When she was working on my leg I just wanted to grab her face and just kiss her. Let my wildest dreams come true, but just like all those times I was about to tell her of my love, I had chickened out.

She finishes wrapping it all the way and gets up to go get a back pack, "_Here, cover yourself with this and I'll wash your shorts." _Her face turns bright red. She obviously isn't comfortable with this.

"_Oh, I don't care if you see me,"_ I say, real innocently. Her face becomes even brighter as she looks back at the creek.

"_You're just like the rest of my family," _She turns back to me, "_I care, all right?"_ She admits. Katniss was always shy in school; it didn't surprise me that she was modest as well. She turns around and I work the shorts off. It's hard to get it over the cut, but once I'm over that part it's easy. Since Katniss is obviously not going to come and grab them, I throw them into the creek. She goes and grabs them, getting to work.

"_You know, you're kind of squeamish for such a lethal person," _I yell out to her, "_I wish I'd let you give Haymitch a shower after all." _That night Katniss had acted as if she really did want to help, but after what I've seen of her today I doubt she really would.

She shakes her head, and dismisses even acknowledging it, instead saying, _"What's he sent you so far?"_ If she's talking about sponsors, I'm pretty convinced I have none. Although if Katniss has gotten stuff I probably do, but Haymitch hasn't sent me anything. He knows I would want all the gifts to go to her, so she could win, but a little burn cream would've been nice.

"_Not a thing," _I say, "_Why, did you get something?"_

She stops washing my shorts for a second and stands up, stretching before she says, "_Burn medicine. Oh, and some bread." _She says as if she's embarrassed, but she doesn't know I'd want Haymitch to do that. We were working as a team to get her out alive.

"_I always knew you were his favorite,"_ I say, but she doesn't know about the secret meetings, the confessing, and the planning. I actually developed somewhat of a relationship with Haymitch. All him and Katniss did was bicker, but I knew he saw potential. That's why he wanted to help me so badly, and I think maybe, just maybe, he had felt this sort of love before too.

"_Please, he can't stand to be in the same room as me." _She says.

"_Because your just alike."_ I think of the stubbornness they both share, how if they want something, there isn't anything that will get in their way. Katniss doesn't say anything else, instead just going back to working. My eyelids get heavier and heavier as Katniss finishes washing my shorts. She looks at me for a second and whispers, "It's okay, go to sleep, but only for awhile." I finally let my eyelids close and my mind rest. For the first time for the last couple nights I don't dream of losing Katniss, but actually getting her. Of having her for the rest of my life, of our marriage, our kids, our happiness. It's the best dream I've had in a while, but it's over too soon as I awake to Katniss shaking me.

"_Peeta, we've got to go now."_ She says like we're in a hurry.

I'm not sure what she means; I'm cozy right here, "_Go? Go where?"_ I ask, looking into her grey eyes.

"_Away from here. Downstream maybe. Somewhere we can hide you until your stronger." _That's why, if we stayed here, we basically would be a sitting target. So easy, but if we move, find somewhere we can hide, maybe they won't be able to find us.

"Let's put your clothes on." It's only now do I realize how exposed I am. It's not cold, the late afternoon sun is still shining, but all of me is just out in the open. For the world to see. Katniss helps me into my clothes, but leaves my shoes off.

"What about my shoes?" I ask as she picks them up and puts them in a bag.

"We're going to walk in the stream, it'll be easier for you." She says, "Grab my hands, I'm going to pull you up." I take her hands and try to help as she stands me up straight. I haven't had weight on my leg for a long time and along with this cut, the pain is unbearable, but I know we have to move, "_Come on. You can do this."_ Katniss encourages as I take my first step into the cool water. It's hard, but I'm doing this for her, to show her that it's not that bad. But it's not long until I have to say, "Katniss, I literally can not make it another we find somewhere around here." She takes a quick look around. She sets me down beside the creek and puts my head between my legs. She tries to give me a motherly pat, but it's something my own mother wasn't good at and Katniss definitely wasn't good at. I feel my head relax and my leg release tension as we sit here for a while. When I feel good enough, she stands me up again, but I have to put a lot more of my weight on her this time. It's so clear right now how big of a burden I am. I can feel her anxiety rise as she leads me to the shelter she had found. She takes me into a cave and makes a bed of pine needles before putting me into her sleeping bag. I let myself recover as Katniss urges water and pills into me, but the fruit she offers looks absolutely revolting. The somewhat newfound strength I had only an hour ago is completely gone.

I watch as Katniss desperately tries to hide us from the outside world. I can almost hear her heart pounding out of her chest as stress fills her body. She's worried, and I am too, that maybe I won't make it. The work she was working on does not satisfy her as she sighs in frustration. "_Katniss,"_ I say, she comes over brushes the stray strands of hair from my face. It's a simple gesture, but to me, who's been dreaming about this girl my whole life, it means everything, "_Thanks for finding me."_ I hope she isn't regretting it now, as I lay here slowly dying. Bit by bit.

"_You would have found me if you could."_ She doesn't know how true that statement is. If we had switched positions right now, I would do anything in my power to keep her alive.

"_Yes. Look, if I don't make it back-" _I start to say, but she cuts me off.

"_Don't talk like that. I didn't drain all that puss for nothing." _She says, staring into my eyes, looking into my soul.

"_I know. But just in case I don't-"_ I want her to know I really truly love her, but she won't let me.

"_No, Peeta. I don't even want to discuss it." _She gently places her fingers on my lips, urging me not to speak, but she needs to know.

"_But I-"_ I try again, but before I know it Katniss is leaning forward. Bringing her lips towards mine. Making my wildest dreams come true. When they finally meet, it's like everything that's ever happened in my life is irrelevant. It doesn't matter I'm on deaths door or that there's other kids out there that want us to die, right now in this moment all I'm thinking about is Katniss. Her lips urgent and beautiful as they work perfectly against mine. It's over too soon as she says, "_You're not going to die. I forbid it. All right?"_ And with that kiss, I will myself to believe it.

"_All right." _I whisper. She gets up and leaves. I'm left in awe wondering if that really just happened. It's like when you've been anticipating something for so long and it finally happens and it takes awhile for it to sink in. But when it finally does, you know, that it was so much better than everything you've been dreaming about. That maybe if your lucky enough it will happen again and she'll be yours forever.

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**Doesn't the end just leave you smiling? I love it! Haha, anyways I hope you like it as much as I do and don't forget to review on the way out! Thanks! -boywithbreadlover**


	31. Chapter 31

**Here's the next chapter! I hope you like it! Enjoy! I do not own THG any direct quotes are in italics.**

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**Ch. 31**

"_Peeta, look what Haymitch has sent you." _Katniss comes back into the cave with the smell of warmth and health. It's some sort of broth, which on one hand sounds just like what I need, but on the other I'm afraid my body will reject it.

"Katniss what if it makes me sick." I say just as she's about to shove a spoonful into my mouth. She shoves it in anyways, not caring if I throw up tonight. For the next hour I keep refusing, but she keeps on putting it in. I've found if I refuse enough she'll give me another kiss, which makes me open up my mouth gladly. But the kisses are never long enough. There quick and rushed, still perfect, but I know there could be more. Finally when she's emptied the whole pot into me, and my stomach is full, she lets me sleep. Which I welcome it gladly as it comes.

…

"Katniss I love you, you're my everything, you're what I live for. I don't know what my life would be with out you. In fact I owe my life to you. So, Katniss Everdeen, will you do me the honor of marrying me?" Katniss' hair was down, and she was wearing a simple shimmery gown, that highlighted everything good about her. She was smiling and tears were rolling down her eyes.

"Peeta. I'd love that. You're my everything as well." She puts her hand out lets me slip the ring onto her finger. I get up and kiss her, with all that's in me, I kiss her. And I know that everything is going to be okay.

…

I wake up slowly at first, but when I start to mumble "Katniss," and she doesn't answer my eyes fly open. I look around the small cave we had taken as our own and didn't see her anywhere. What if Cato had found her and now she was gone and everything wasn't going to be okay? I struggle to sit up, which takes a while. Then I try to get out of the sleeping bag, but that's a struggle too. It's while that I'm struggling when I see her. She's simply walking back into the cave, nothing is wrong. I overreacted.

"_I woke up and you were gone. I was worried." _She comes over and lets out a laugh, like nothing would ever happen to her. She eases me back onto my back. It's a lot more comfortable than the position I was in.

"_You were worried about me? Have you taken a look at yourself lately?"_ She doesn't get it; sure I'm injured and close to death, but if something happened to Katniss, I wouldn't want to live anymore.

"_I thought Cato and Clove might have found you. They like to hunt at night,"_ I say warning her of the true danger.

"_Clove? Which one is that?"_ She asks, not taking my fear seriously.

"_The girl from District Two. She's still alive right?"_ I ask.

"_Yes, there's just them and us and Thresh and Foxface." _I'm thinking, there's actually a tribute named Foxface, when she adds, "_That's what I nicknamed the girl from five. How do you feel?" _She steers away from the other tributes and the dangers they entail. Instead pointing my attention to another thing of death, my leg.

"_Better than yesterday. This is an enormous improvement over the mud. Clean clothes and medicine and a sleeping bag… and you."_ I add at the end because all that time with the careers or lying in the mud, I wished that I were with Katniss. All those moments, I wished Katniss were by my side. And now I couldn't be any happier than right now as she sits right by me. She puts her hand against my cheek, a very sincere touch. I grab it wanting it in my hand for the rest of my life. I press her hand against my lips. This moment is so charged with romance, I'm waiting for the moment that I'll get another kiss.

_"No more kisses for you until you've eaten."_ She's ruined the perfect moment. She couldn't have just kissed me? She leans me up against the wall of our cave. Giving me some sort of berry mix she had made. It taste pretty good, but when she wants me to eat that meat again I don't take it. It looks too greasy and gross. As Katniss feeds me I notice the bags under her eyes, the lines of stress etching her forehead. While I was asleep, Katniss was wide-awake taking guard.

"_You didn't sleep,"_ I say as she sits back up against the wall by me.

"_I'm all right," _She lies.

"_Sleep now. I'll keep watch. I'll wake you if anything happens," _She listens to my offer, but doesn't seem too convinced, "_Katniss, you can't stay up forever."_

"_All right, but just for a few hours. Then you wake me."_ So Katniss moves to the sleeping bag and falls asleep almost instantly as I stroke her hair. Her face looks young and carefree. All the stress and anxiety that has been warring on her is wiped away. Her face looks like that of the little kindergartner all those years ago. I let her sleep for a long time, not bothering to wake her after only a few hours. I told her I'd wake her if there was any danger, which there wasn't, and she was tired, so I let her sleep.

"_Peeta, you were supposed to wake me after a couple hours."_ She's says sitting up.

"_For what? Nothing's going on here. Besides I like watching you sleep. You don't scowl. Improves your looks a lot."_ I joke, which brings the scowl right back onto her face. She comes over and feels my cheek for fever, getting ready to check all my wounds again.

"Peeta, have you been drinking water_?"_ She asks. I think over the past few hours, remembering taking sips here and there.

"Yeah." She just shakes her head, and hands me water. She makes me drink two quarts before moving on to check the rest of me. She looks over my stings and burns. Adding ointment when needed. She works quietly, which I've noticed in the past day. I doubt Gale and her talk much out in the woods, when she gets in the zone she's silent. She moves down to my most serious injury. She starts unwrapping it and looks more and more anxious as we get closer. Finally the cut is revealed. It doesn't look too good. Then I see it, the tell-tell sign of blood poisoning. One of our family friends had gotten it at one time, it was a miracle that they had found the right medicine.

"_Well there's swelling, but the pus is gone."_ Katniss lies, trying to keep me oblivious to the fact that I'm going to die very soon.

"_I know what blood poisoning is, Katniss. Even if my mother isn't a healer." _She looks at me, showing her fear for just a second before her eyes go back to normal, showing no emotion at all.

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**I hope you liked it! There should be at least two more chapters today, I'm leaving again, but only for a week this time, so I want to get a lot in before I leave. Don't forget to REVIEW on the way out! Thanks! -boywithbreadlover**


	32. Chapter 32

**Here's the next chapter, it picks up right after the last one. I hope you enjoy! I do not own THG any direct quotes are in italics.**

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**Ch. 32**

_"You're going to have to outlast the others, Peeta. They'll cure it back in the Capitol when we win."_ Says Katniss, shaking her head down at my leg. Like it disappointed her.

You can't really decide when you want to die with blood poisoning. It decides for you. Trying to outlast the others is going to be hard. Sure the Gamemakers will try to bring us together if there is no action, but the games could last up to another two weeks. I don't know if I can last that long. "_Yes, that's a good plan."_ I say, this time it's me putting on the brave face for her.

"_You have to eat. Keep you strength up. I'm going to make you soup."_ Katniss says.

"_Don't make a fire. It's not worth it." _I've seen how Cato looks for those things. He can see them from very far away and know exactly where it is.

"_We'll see,"_ Katniss says not taking into true consideration the real danger. I know she'll probably look for another way before she does, but she might do it if there's no other way. She leaves me by myself in the cave. Sitting there I realize more than I did before, that this is probably my death place. Where I'll take my last breaths, say my last words. At least I know that Katniss does have feelings for me, and that she does know my true feelings. Yeah, I wrote that letter for her to read, but I wanted to be the one to let her know. That everything I said in the interview was true, that I wanted her to be mine, all mine, for the rest of eternity. Well at least I get her for the rest of my life.

I don't feel too good so I decide to lie down and let my body rest a little more. But I can't sleep knowing that Katniss is out there in the open. Instead I just lie there and wait for her footsteps to come near. When they finally do, I relax and let her put cloths over my forehead.

"_Do want something?"_ Her voice is soothing, cool and calm like the wind through the trees.

"_No. Thank you,"_ Not being able to think of anything, except for the fact I want to know her more, "_Wait, yes. Tell me a story."_ I whisper quietly, but let it get across that it is the only thing I want in the world right now. Her soothing voice letting out moments in her past; revealing parts of her to me.

"_A story? What about?" _She whispers back, moving my hair out of my face again.

"_Something happy. Tell me about the happiest day of your life."_ I want to know her. To know what makes her smile, what makes her sad, what makes her the person I love.

"_Did I ever tell you how I got Prim's goat?" _ She asks. My mind flashes to goat cheese set on our table. When I asked my dad where he got it, he told me Katniss Everdeen, but it was from her sister's, Prim, goat. I shake my head, ready for the memory that I am privileged enough to hear, "Well my Mom had a locket from when she lived in town and she didn't really wear it anymore, so she said I could sell it. I knew I wanted to get Prim something, but I wasn't quite sure what I wanted to get her with the money. So Gale and I were walking through town and we saw the Goat Man.

I saw this goat and it looked so close to death, but I knew Prim and Mom could work their magic. So I told Gale I wanted that goat for Prim. He had wanted to get a closer look so we did. We had bought a glass of milk so the Goat Man wouldn't want us to leave. We started to look at the poor goat, but he didn't want us to. This goat was to be sold to the butcher he told us," Katniss eyes were in another time, another place. Her hand was idly stroking my hair as she went on, "I knew with this money I had gotten from the locket that I could probably pay more than what the butcher would. So he told us to wait for her. Soon enough she came and had decided she wasn't worth it. The meat probably wasn't good anymore. So we got to work on a price, which took quite a while. But finally we settled on a price. Which if Prim and Mom saved this goat it was amazing, but if we were eating the meat later tonight it was horrible.

As we were walking home I had bought a pink ribbon to put on the goat because I just couldn't wait to see Prim's reaction. We hadn't carried the goat two feet into the house before Prim jumped up. She was just so excited. She was crying and laughing and I was just so happy to see her like this. It had been awhile since I'd seen this type of reaction. So Prim and Mom got to work. Coaxing all kind of medicines into it." She says not quite done, but I had to interrupt. What she was telling sounded so familiar.

"_They sound like you."_

_ "Oh, no, Peeta. They work magic. That thing couldn't have died if it tried."_ She stops realizing that maybe that hit a little to close to home. Her fingers had also paused, the stroking cut short.

"_Don't worry. I'm not trying." _I say trying to release the tension she had just created, "_Finish the story."_

"_Well, that's it. Only I remember that night, Prim insisted on sleeping with Lady on a blanket next to the fire. And just before they drifted off, the goat licked her cheek, like it was giving her a good night kiss or something. It was already mad about her." _It didn't take long for people to fall in love with Prim, or any of the Everdeen's for that fact. Katniss had continued with her gentle stroking in my hair. Her fingers gently working their way back and forth across my head.

"_Was it still wearing the pink ribbon?"_ I ask looking out of the opening of the cave. Picturing the scene Katniss had painted out in front of me.

"_I think so. Why?" _Katniss asks me.

"_I'm just trying to get a picture. I can see why that day made you happy."_ Katniss lets a small smile play across her lips.

"_Well, I knew that goat was going to be a little gold mine,"_ She says.

"_Yes, of course I was referring to that, not the lasting joy you gave the sister you love so much you took her place in the reaping,"_ I say, sarcasm dripping from my voice.

"_The goat has paid for itself. Several times over."_ She tells me.

"_Well, it wouldn't dare do anything else after you saved its life. I intend to do the same thing." _I say.

"_Really? What did you cost me again?" _She says, the stroking had stopped and her hand was now placed in her lap.

"_A lot of trouble, "_ I say, "_Don't worry. You'll get it all back."_

"_You're not making any sense." _I love this. This banter we easily have going on. I could live in it forever, it's like we're not in the middle of the Hunger Games being watched by millions. But then we're reminded, thrown back into the harsh reality of it, as the trumpets sound and Claudius Templesmith' voice comes booming out of nowhere.

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**I hope you liked it! Suspense! Haha, even though you know what happens :p Thanks for reading and don't forget to REVIEW on the way out! Thanks again -boywithbreadlover**


	33. Chapter 33

**Here's the next chapter! Enjoy! I do not own THG so any direct quotes will be in italics.**

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**Ch. 33**

Claudius Templesmith' voice is that of power. It's a voice you'd want in the background of your life during important moments. In the very least it's inspiring and his voice was the only thing I liked about the Hunger Games when I was young. It was the only thing to like. As I got older I didn't like any of it, not even his voice, but now that his voice booming over the loud speaker in the arena is what brought Katniss to me. I loved it again.

Well until now. Until he gave Katniss false beliefs that she could save me. He told us about a feast, but it wasn't for food. It was something specific for each team that each team needed badly. It was to take place at the Cornucopia at dawn. I saw Katniss' face change from that of desperation to that of hope with in a matter of seconds. She suddenly pops up beside me, her excitement bubbling over.

"_No." _I say firmly as I grab her shoulder, jerking her back into reality, "_You're not risking your life for me."_

She turns to me her mouth open, about to protest, but then stops herself, "_Who said I was?"_ She questions. Well the excited hop kind of gave that away.

"_So, you're not going?"_ I look deep into her eyes, trying to tell if she was telling the truth. Her eyes get nervous and dart away.

"_Of course, I'm not going. Give me some credit. Do you think I'm running straight into some free-for-all against Cato and Clove and Thresh? Don't be stupid,"_ I almost hesitate and believe her, but that's exactly something Katniss would do. She wants to keep me alive and she is going to keep me alive; which involved going to the feast and getting that medicine. "_I'll let them fight it out, we'll see who's in the sky tomorrow night and work out a plan from there."_ She says, but I still can't fully believe her.

"_You're such a bad liar Katniss. I don't know how you've survived this long." _I beat her at her own game. I begin to mimic her, "_I knew that goat would be a little gold mine. You're a little cooler though. Of course, I'm not going."_ I shake my head going back to my normal voice, "_Never gamble at cards. You'll lose your last coin."_

Her face flashes bright red as I caught her, "_All right, I am going, and you can't stop me!"_ She yells.

"_I can follow you. At least partway. I may not make it to the Cornucopia, but if I'm yelling your name, I bet someone can find me. And then I'll be dead for sure."_ I say, putting her between a rock and a hard place.

"_You won't get a hundred yards from here with that leg."_ She says, trying to put me there as well.

"_Then I'll drag myself. You go and I'm going to."_ If she was going to go out there and risk death for me, I'm might as well die along with her. But now that I've said this she actually might not go.

She starts speaking slower and calmer, the anger leaching out of her body, "_What am I supposed to do? Sit here and watch you die?" _Her frustration and the day has gotten to her as a tear has started to glisten in her eye, but she won't let it fall.

"_I won't die."_ I say so sure, just like she was yesterday, "_I promise. If you promise not to go,"_ I say and she actually lets me look into her eyes this time.

"_Then you have to do what I say,"_ I finally sell her on staying, "_Drink your water, wake me when I tell you, and eat every bite of the soup no matter how disgusting it is!"_ She says looking into my eyes.

"_Agreed. Is it ready?"_ She had told me when she came back that instead of using fire to heat it she had used the sun-warmed rocks. Which was very clever.

"_Wait here."_ She says getting up to go get her soup. She comes back quick with bowl. Handing it to me, I've decided I'm now strong enough to serve myself. The soup isn't actually bad. It's probably the best thing I've eaten in the Games, besides the broth from the Capitol.

"Oh my goodness! This is so good." I say, exaggerating slightly, but only some. I was also listening to her rules that I would enjoy the soup. I was keeping up my part of the bargain, she better keep up hers.

"Yeah sure it is." She says rolling her eyes and sitting down besides me.

"No Katniss, I'm not kidding, better than my mom's," My mom didn't make very good soup. Once a week, Tuesdays to be exact, we would have to eat her chicken dumpling soup, recipe made by her mother. We all acted like we liked it, but in reality we all dreaded Tuesday nights.

"Stop talking and eat your soup." I comply for a few minutes, but then I start raving again, even licking the bowl. Which actually got somewhat of a smile from Katniss. She then made me take pills and left to go wash up. So I'm left alone. For what seems like forever. Until she finally comes back.

"_I've brought you a treat. I found a new patch of berries a little farther downstream." _Why was she wandering down stream? I hope it wasn't too far because there could be some danger in that.

I open my mouth wide and welcome the first bite. Something sweet sounded very nice. After being away from cakes so long, I'd forgotten what sugar tasted like, "_They're very sweet."_ They tasted familiar, but the only berries my mom would ever buy weren't wild.

"_Yes, they're sugar berries. My mother makes jam from them. Haven't you had them before?" _She says putting another spoonful into my mouth. I actually hadn't heard of them before, but the taste was so familiar. My mind put it together with the warmth of my bed, my mother smiling sadly.

"_No, but they taste familiar. Sugar berries?" _I ask, wondering if they have another name.

"_Well, you can't get them in the market much, they only grow wild." _ She says, putting more and more spoonfuls into my mouth. She really wants me to eat them fast.

"_They're as sweet as syrup."_ Something in my brain clicks when I say syrup, but it's not quite there. Sleep Syrup! That's what it was. My mom gave it to us by the spoonfuls when we were sick, "_Syrup." _I realize what she's doing; she's trying to get me to sleep so she can go to the feast. What is it with her and risking her life? I try to spit it out, but Katniss already has her hands over my mouth and nose, making it slide down my throat. I can feel my eyes getting heavier, my mind groggier. I try to fight sleep, but it's almost impossible once you have the stuff in you. Along with my sickness, sleep came fast. I try to keep my eyes open as long as I can, but they close fast. And soon I'm no longer in this world, but somewhere else, in my dreams.

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**I hope you liked! There probably will be another chapter tonight, but if there isn't I'll be back next week. Follow this story so you'll know when I'm back and it would be really cool if you REVIEWed it as well, come on, I barely get any reviews, Please :) It** **isn't that hard you just write what ever you like or don't like about my story (I like the ones where you like it, but you know) and then you hit submit! It's that easy. So don't forget to review! Thanks -boywithbreadlover**


	34. Chapter 34

**Here's one last chapter before I leave for a week! Enjoy! I do not own THG so any direct quotes are in italics. **

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**Ch. 34**

I've always found rain comforting, the soft pitter-patter on the roof on late spring nights. But in my dream I find it not comforting at all as it splashes on my forehead. Soaking me bit by bit. I wake up slowly from this dream to find it to be reality. I was right under a crack in the rocks that formed our cave. I notice two things before I look elsewhere. I feel much healthier than the last time I was awake and there's a small tiny scab on my arm. Indicating that something was injected into me. Which means Katniss made it back. She saved my life.

But then I look down and see her lying there unconscious. Her head surrounded by a pool of blood. I move quickly to her side. Picking up her face from the big pool. There's a cut across her forehead. I grab some bandage from a first aid kit and start to wipe away the blood that just keeps on coming. Finally it slows a little bit, so that not too much is coming out. I wrap it up just like she wrapped my leg. It's my turn to care for her. I still hear her settle breathing, her heart beating, and it reassures me that she is going to be okay.

I take some more bandages and wipe up the blood behind her head. I then gently put her into the sleeping bag. There isn't really a place in the cave that won't get you wet. I remember the plastic that Katniss had. I put it into the cracks of the rocks so it will block the rain from hitting her.

When I'm finally done working on her and I'm absolutely sure that I can't do much more, I realize I'm starving. Now that my stomach isn't afraid of rejection, it's starving for anything. I dig through the remaining food, finding the meat that once looked so disgusting to me. It now looked like the best thing on earth as I stuffed it into my mouth. I had already eaten three pieces before I realized that it is raining which means, hunting might not happen for a while. The food we have now might have to last for a few days. I've seen the Gamemakers keep the rain coming for nearly two weeks. It isn't very pretty when they do that. Kids without shelter, tend to go mad being wet all the time.

I watch as Katniss sleeps away whatever had happened to her at the feast. I wonder how many casualties there were. Usually feasts are near the end when there aren't many tributes, only resulting in a few deaths, but sometimes on rare occasions it's where the victor is crowned. I hear the anthem loud and clear as they play it through the heavy rain. I look outside to see who had died. There's only one, Clove. Cato and Clove were the only other duo left. I wonder who ended her life. Was it Katniss herself? The cut on her head from one of those many scary knives?

I had to have slept a while from the sleep syrup because I'm not tired at all as the night goes on. Thunder begins later on, lightning along with it. I change Katniss' bandage every once in awhile, but mostly I find myself just staring at Katniss. I wonder what dreams are in her head. I wonder if I'm in them or if she's dreaming of home, back hunting.

I check my leg out, out of pure curiosity and find very good results. The swelling had gone down considerably and the red lines running towards my heart were nowhere to be seen. I let out a sigh of relief as I realize that even if I didn't want Katniss to go there, I'm glad she did.

It's a while before I hear Katniss' breath quicken, a sign that she's waking up. I decide to see if I'm right, "_Katniss,"_ I whisper, "_Katniss, can you hear me?"_ Her eyes open quickly and they search the cave frantically. She looks scared as I peer over her.

Her eyes become normal as she recognizes me, "_Peeta,"_ She says, relieved that it's me.

"_Hey. Good to see your eyes again."_ I look into her grey eyes that have already brightened the rainy day.

"_How long have I been out?"_ She asks, still lying down.

"_Not sure. I woke up yesterday evening and you were lying next to me in a very scary pool of blood." _I say moving closer to her, "_I think it's stopped finally, but I wouldn't sit up or anything."_ She listens to me and stays down, but slowly lifts her hand up to feel the bandage. I go to grab one of the water bottles. Letting her drink from it. I don't like that she's hurt, but I like that I can take care of her. Repay her for all she's done for me.

"_Your better."_ She says after drinking a lot of water.

"_Much better. Whatever you shot into my arm did the trick. By this morning, almost all the swelling in my leg was gone." _I say, silently thanking her for the medicine. I don't want to encourage her dangerous behavior, but she did save my life. So I go with out thanks or scolding, instead just let her interpret what it means.

"_Did you eat?"_ She says, looking at me from down below. She's still being my caretaker even though she's the one that needs to be taken care of now.

"_I'm sorry to say I gobbled down three pieces of that groosling before I realized it might have to last a while. Don't worry, I'm back on a strict diet." _Through the night I had only eaten one piece of dehydrated pear.

"_No, it's good. You need to eat. I'll go hunting soon."_ She obviously does not know how much blood she lost and she probably hasn't noticed the rain yet either. Although it'd be hard not to hear.

"_Not too soon, all right?" _I say, looking into her eyes, "_You just let me take care of you for a while."_ And that she does. She lets me feed her and give her water, I do almost all the things she did for me while I was sick.

"Peeta I hate to say this, but my feet are freezing." She says. I do what any good guy would do. I take her out of the sleeping bag gently and start to warm her feet back up by massaging them. I had already taken off her shoes and socks earlier because they were wet and wouldn't help much. I take my jacket off at wrap her feet in it before putting her back into the sleeping bag. She shivers as the warmth enters her body. I couldn't wait for the day, when we were both healthy and we could be together in the real world.

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**I hope you liked it! So if you want to know when to come back, since I'll be gone for a week, follow this story, I think it sends an email to you when I update so do that. And I told you how to REVIEW on my last chapter so it would be totally AMAZING if you did! REVIEW REVIEW REVIEW! It makes for a happy author! :) Also check out my one shot The Fate Games while I'm gone, it's a really quick read :) Don't forget to REVIEW on the way out! I hope you have a great week, Thanks -boywithbreadlover**


	35. Chapter 35

**Here's the next chapter! I'm back! Yay! I hope you enjoy it! I do not own THG so any direct quotes will be in italics.**

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**Ch. 35**

"_I wonder what brought on this storm,"_ I say. I was going to stay silent and let Katniss rest some more, but her eyes stayed wide open. I though about letting the silence stretch before us; that would only mean a lot more for me. I had suffered the whole night in silence and rain; I wasn't about to let that happen for another four hours when I had the opportunity to hear her voice. I needed to know about the feast anyways, "_I mean, who's the target?"_

"_Cato and Thresh,"_ The names slip out fast, without thought or explanation, "_Foxface will be in her den somewhere, and Clove…"_ She pauses, for my feelings, or maybe she forgot, maybe her death was too brutal, "_she cut me and then…"_ She leaves that unexplained as well. What happened? Can I have a video of it or will I be wondering about it for the rest of my life? I probably shouldn't know the whole story; it will only make me more protective of Katniss.

I remember Clove's tough face in the sky last night, a final goodbye to the District Two tribute. Katniss may think we had a comradeship, but really I didn't get close to any of the careers, the only one I kind of liked was Kelly. Clove let her walls come down with Cato, but really all that was there was a broken heart and a cold-blooded killer, "_I know Clove's dead. I saw it in the sky last night. Did you kill her?"_ I ask.

"_No._" The answer is firm and sure, "_Thresh broke her skull with a rock."_ I can picture it; Thresh towering above, Clove scurrying away, but where was Katniss when this went down?

"_Lucky he didn't catch you,"_ I try to picture it, Katniss' face in the sky along with Clove's, but I can't bring myself to.

"_He did."_ Her words are concrete as the come out of her lips and into my head. Two simple words that bring so many questions, "_But he let me go."_ She adds.

"He let you go?" This question comes out fast and quick, but I'm sure I want to know her the answer.

"Yeah, it takes a lot of explaining, I've held it back since you were sick, but now that your not…" The last part is barely audible. Clearly a lot of things happened while I lay dying by the creek.

"I'm ready Katniss, what ever happened you can tell me." I say ready for the full story.

"You know Rue, the girl from District Eleven?" I remember the tiny dark figure that followed Katniss around at training. Her stature was small, and I felt sickened by how unfair these "Games" really were.

"Yeah, she's the one that followed you around." I see her eyes sadden, tears threatening to slide out, just as the clouds roar.

"Yeah that's her," She pauses letting the rain and thunder fill the silence, "I made an alliance with her." Her words make sense in my head. The tears threatening to come, it was because she had died, Katniss, although she loved very few things, loved Rue. "Peeta, she was so sweet. When I told her she could eat a whole leg of groosling her eyes lit up. She never had gotten a whole leg to her self. I mean she had it worse than I did. I thought having to take care of Prim and my mother was hard, she was the oldest of six kids!" Her voice is rushed and quiet. She lets the tears easily slip from her eyes as she continues, "I knew that if either of us were going to win we had to make the careers less strong. She told me about how the supplies where set up in a pyramid. So we devised a plan to destroy all the supplies. She would set three fires periodically and I would go destroy the supplies some how." Her tears have stopped as she goes on in their plan, "When I got there I wasn't sure how I would, or if they were booby trapped. The supplies were just lying there." I remember the boy from District Three, how I never really learned his name. We all knew he wouldn't be the one to win, he even knew, but he held on to hope.

"It was booby trapped, but of course you know that. How did you figure it out?" I say when she pauses, probably wanting me to comment.

"Foxface came when the careers had gone after Rue's fire. She had the path figured out, but she slipped once on the way out and her eyes were so full of fear. Then I noticed that it was all dug up around the plates. I just put two and two together. It was so easy to destroy their things. I just had to let a few arrows fly and…" Her words end momentarily as I'm left to my imagination. I remember the sudden booms, while I was lay dying by the creek, now I know what they were. "I was so close to the explosion that it did something to my ear, it doesn't work any more." Her face contorts into sadness and regret; obviously as a hunter she used her ears a lot. "It wasn't until the next day that I left. It was time to go back to Rue." She goes onto tell me that Rue wasn't anywhere to be seen. She spent most of the day resting in a tree, waiting for Rue to come back. She gets real quiet when she says Rue's name obviously she meant something to her. Her tears are coming full fledged now and I just want to hold her, "I heard her screaming, and I came as fast as I can, but…" Her words end as sobs consume her.

"Katniss it's okay, you don't have to." I reassure her, rubbing her arm.

"No Peeta I have to, you should know." Her sobs have finally calmed down enough, now only leftover tears roll down her cheeks. "The boy from One had thrown a spear into her stomach right when I got there, an arrow found him quick, and he was dead just as fast. Rue, she didn't go so fast. She loved music," A sad smile crosses over her face, "She told me to sing to her. I did. She told me to win for her, so I have to Peeta." She pauses while I nod, "It wasn't like she died, it was more like she fell into an endless sleep. I didn't want her to just be gone, so I put flowers on her. To show that I cared." I know there was more meaning behind this gesture she had just told me. It was a way to show the capitol that this is horrible. That Rue, had a life and she should be remembered. "When I had left so that the hovercraft could come get her, I was sent a loaf of bread. But it wasn't just bread, it was from District Eleven, it was a thanks." She's run out of tears, but her face is still lost in sadness.

"So at the feast Clove was taunting me about Rue, and Thresh had over heard. He had come and grabbed Clove off of me, I knew I was next, but I couldn't move. I was frozen. After the cannon had sounded and he turned to me. I told him about Rue, much quicker though because Cato was coming, he didn't want to owe me anything so he let me go." I let the words sink in. A debt that must be repaid, I'm thankful for Thresh not hurting Katniss, but what about where we are. Surely we shouldn't be caring about debts when it comes to our lives.

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**I hope you liked it! I got a lot of reviews while I was gone, but then they died down. They make me so happy though! So REVIEW! I already told you how to do it... Haha :) Don't forget to REVIEW on the way out! Thanks -boywithbreadlover**


	36. Chapter 36

**Here's the next chapter! It's a shorter one, but I hope you like it! Enjoy! I do not own THG so any direct quotes will be in italics.**

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**Ch. 36**

"_He let you go because he didn't want to owe you anything?"_ I ask, letting her words replay in my head. Yep, that's definitely what she said.

"_Yes. I don't expect you to understand it. You've always had enough. But if you lived in the Seam, I wouldn't have to explain."_ So, I can't understand. I would never understand it. I'm privileged; I don't know what it feels like to be a good person. You have to live in the Seam to get it.

"_And don't try. Obviously, I'm too dim to get it."_ I say. Katniss begins to pick at me, maybe it's the lack of food, but suddenly I'm annoyed.

"_It's like the bread. How I never seem to get over owing you for that."_ She tries to explain, but her words are confusing. The bread? I'm thrown back to that rainy night, but that's not what she means is it?

"_The bread? What? From when we were kids?"_ Katniss has already repaid me, for just acknowledging me, "_I think we can let that go. I mean, you just brought me back from the dead."_

"_But you didn't know me. We had never even spoken. Besides, it's the first gift that's always the hardest to pay back. I wouldn't even have been here to do it if you hadn't helped me then."_ I remember how only a couple weeks later had she came in with a squirrel; she was more filled out. Still tiny and thin, but she looked healthier. I didn't know it was the difference between her life and death, "_Why did you, anyway?"_

Why did I? Because I was completely in love with you. You looked sad and lost and hungry. I had to help you. Those are the words that I want to spill out of my mouth, but instead come, "_Why? You know why?"_ She has to know. The words I had told Caesar Flickerman, were black and white. I was and still am in love with her. She moves her head slowly back and forth telling me she doesn't know. It's all a game isn't it? "_Haymitch told me you would take a lot of convincing."_ I remember back in the Capitol. When I was supposed to be training about how to talk on my interview, Haymitch and I had just talked. He had told me that she wouldn't believe it, but I didn't really listen to those words. I had to believe that they weren't true.

"_Haymitch?"_ She spits out quick, "_What's he got to do with it?"_ I feel this going into territory that the Capitol people wouldn't like.

"_Nothing. So, Cato and Thresh huh?" _I change the subject quickly. "_I guess it's too much to hope that they'll simultaneously destroy each other?" _Katniss' face contorts in pain and for a second I think her wound has reopened.

"_I think we would like Thresh." _It's how I felt about Kelly; I wasn't really excited for her death. "_I think he'd be our friend back in District Twelve." _From this I get that Katniss isn't ready for his death. I also noticed how she said _our_ friend. Katniss and I didn't exactly hang with the same group of people. This means, we have something now. A relationship.

"_Then let's hope Cato kills him, so we don't have to."_ I say my voice full of sorrow, for Katniss. She doesn't say anything to that. Instead she lets her eyes go distant, her thoughts go elsewhere. After a few minutes of just watching her I notice the tears coming back in._ "What is it? Are you in a lot of pain?"_ I remember how only a couple days ago tears threatened to spill from the pain all over my body. Now it was Katniss in that position.

I expect her to just nod instead she answers, "_I want to go home, Peeta."_ Her face contorts to keep the tears in her eyes. She's not ready to let them fall again.

"_You will."_ I'm sure. So sure. We have a chance, I'm not sick any more, and the cut on Katniss head will heal soon enough. If Thresh dies by result of Cato the only real competitor left is Cato. With the both of us I'm sure we can take him down. Then we'll go back home, only it will be different because maybe we'll be together. "_I promise." _I lean down and let my lips find hers for a quick kiss.

"_I want to go home now,"_ She says once I've sat up. Her words are sure, like a child wanting their mom.

"_Tell you what. You go back to sleep and dream of home. And you'll be there for real before you know it. Okay?" _I try to reassure her, she looks like she's about to let the tears fall out as she thinks of good old District Twelve.

"_Okay,"_ She whispers, barely audible over the rain and thunder, "_Wake me if you need me to keep watch." _

_ "I'm good and rested, thanks to you and Haymitch. Besides, who knows how long this will last?"_ I let her close her eyes and welcome sleep as I welcome the lonely sound of rain again. At least I know she's safe with me.

After about an hour I will myself to think of home just like I told Katniss to do. It will be way different than what I left if we do make it back. I won't just be the baker's son; I'll be Peeta Mellark District Twelve Victor. I won't sleep in a room above the shop; I'll sleep in a house in Victor's Village. Most importantly it won't be me just watching her anymore. She'll be mine. Maybe she hasn't warmed up completely to the idea, but she actually opened up to me and told me about Rue. Doesn't that mean she feels at least something for me? Katniss isn't one to talk about emotional things, but didn't she just tell me something pretty emotional? She will be mine and I will be hers. Maybe we'll be able to live happily ever after.

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**I hope you liked it! Do not forget to REVIEW or FOLLOW on the way out! Thanks! -boywithbreadlover**


	37. Chapter 37

**Here's the next chapter! I really liked this moment in the book, it's so emotionally charged and I really had fun writing it, so I hope you like it! Enjoy! I do not own THG so any direct quotes will be in italics.**

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**Ch. 37**

I didn't wake Katniss up until I was absolutely sure I had to. It wasn't that I was tired or scared, but the groosling I had eaten last night was long gone. My stomach hadn't been this empty in a long time. I knew Katniss wouldn't approve of me eating with out her, I wouldn't like it either, and I doubt she's still has all the emotions running through her. Her face had eventually calmed as the hours passed, even in her sleep I could see she worry. It wasn't like that earlier, but after telling me about Rue her face stayed scrunched up in sleep.

She had woken up hungry as well. The food we had left wasn't much. We had rationed it and talked of hunting tomorrow. I didn't mention that the rain could go on for a long time, but being pessimistic in the Games definitely won't help you. It will be better tomorrow. That's what you have to focus on. It's what you have to tell yourself.

Our conversation moves along to I can't hunt and Katniss reassures that I could hunt. But being next to an expert hunter, I look like a person that can do nothing in that field. She tells me I could gather and hunt, but who wants to be stuck with those jobs? I guess being a baker I do have some cooking skills. Sometimes we sell soup and sandwiches at the bakery, but I don't really know much.

Once I bring up bread our one-fourth filled stomachs begin to wish for it. It's not pretty; Katniss tries to silence it with mint leaves. It seems to work for her, but not much for me. When you're used to the smell of bread every morning and then all of a sudden it's not there, you miss it.

Katniss begins to ask me questions about the other side of the arena, where Thresh had taken claim. I remember Clove asking Cato if we should go check it out. He had just shaken his head and dismissed it. We all knew Thresh was a big contender; we just didn't want to face it.

When Katniss asked if I ever checked it out I say, "_No. Nobody really wanted to track Thresh down in that grass. It has a sinister feeling to it. Every time I look at that field, all I can think of are hidden things. Snakes, and rabid animal, and quicksand." _I never really looked over there much; I tried to keep my back turned away from it. If I looked at it to long, my imagination wandered south, "_There could be anything in there."_ One of my tracker jacker hallucinations had actually been Katniss being eaten by a giant snake within that field. It gave me even more to worry about.

"_Maybe there's a bread bush in that field."_ Both of our minds had never really left the bread subject, but now they come right back to it. "_Maybe that's why Thresh looks better fed now than when we started the Games."_ I haven't seen him since the start of the games, but he was already a big guy.

"_Either that or he's got very generous sponsors."_ I realize how my sponsors weren't there for me until Katniss came along and all they really got me was some broth, which helped, and some sleep syrup, which encouraged bad behavior on Katniss' part. I'm not even sure if they were really for me, well the broth was, but the sleep syrup? It helped me in the end but… "_I wonder what we'd have to do to get Haymitch to send us some bread." _My stomach growls and I feel as if the little I just ate was never actually there.

"_Well he probably used up a lot of resources helping me knock you out."_ She says finally bringing up the sleep syrup

"_Yeah about that,"_ I say taking a hold of her hand as to make sure she doesn't leave again. "_Don't try something like that again." _

_ "Or what?" _Says Katniss cocking her head mischievously.

"_Or… or…"_ I can't think of anything. I wasn't going to harm her. After all, what she did helped me in the end. But it could've resulted in her death. Which would've resulted in mine. Then where would we be? It was taking an extreme risk and in those few seconds that I was conscious and had figured out her plan I was so scared. How could I even breathe with out knowing that she was breathing too?

"_What's the problem?"_ A slight grin comes across her face.

"_The problem is we're both still alive. Which only reinforces the idea in you mind that you did the right thing."_ She did, didn't she? The answer to that is no. Katniss Everdeen isn't supposed to die for Peeta Mellark. It doesn't work that way.

"_I did do the right thing."_ She tells me. Doesn't she get it? Yes she made it back; yes we're both fine, but what if we weren't? I went into this game fully aware that I was going to die so Katniss could live. It's not supposed to be the other way. We aren't both supposed to die.

"_No! Just don't, Katniss."_ I grip her hand harder, I'm afraid that maybe she'll leave again. Doesn't she know the danger is real, "_Don't die for me. You won't be doing me any favors. All right?"_ If she was the one to die, and I was the one to live, I wouldn't really be living. Sure I'd be breathing and eating, but a life would not be lived. Life is never whole with out love. If the love of my life died, I'd be lost.

"_Maybe I did it for myself, Peeta, did you ever think about that?"_ If there's one thing about Katniss, she wasn't selfish. She volunteered for her sister; she risked being caught every day and still goes hunting, only not for her, but for her family. She didn't do that for herself. There's no way, "_Maybe you aren't the only one you…who worries about…what it would be like if…"_ She doesn't say the next words but I hear them loud and clear. What it would be like if only one of us wins. I always thought about if Katniss dies, but does she worry about if I die? Does she love me?

"_If what, Katniss?"_ I want to hear it from her. I need to know if it's true. I mean I already know she's determined to keep me alive, but can she imagine her life with out me. If she can't, it's love. I've done the impossible. I've made the love of my life love me.

"_That's exactly the kind of topic Haymitch told me to steer clear of."_ Her words cut through me. She doesn't want to tell me. I'm going to be wondering forever.

"_Then I'll just have to fill in the blanks myself."_ I move in towards her and this time it's me deciding when the kiss begins. I'm no longer sick, in a daze. I'm here, in this moment, and it's perfect. Our lips work perfectly against each other and I get my answer. She loves me. It's not rushed or hurried as our lips touch, it's just simple. It's a kiss. Katniss is mine. It's simple.

It's over too soon as I notice new blood soaking Katniss' band-aid. Maybe it was a little too much excitement, but it still reached perfection.

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**Don't you just love that? I love all the raw emotion :) So, I'm going to move on into something more serious, I recently got a new reviewer that showed me all the stuff that was off from the book, I really want to stay true to the book, but I'm only human, so if you guys could give me a little break that would be awesome! It's hard to get everything right, you'd understand if you were doing this, but I'm so sorry, and I try to fix my mistakes. So any ways, I really hope you guys like this story even though I make mistakes :) Don't forget to REVIEW on the way out! Thanks! -boywithbreadlover**


	38. Chapter 38

**Here's the next chapter. Enjoy! So since I do not own THG usually all direct quotes are in italics, but there are no direct quotes in this one, the italics are for other purposes, just on this chapter :)**

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**Ch. 38**

With Katniss in my arms I let all my worries wash away. I'm not thinking about Cato or how long this rain will last or even when I'll get my next meal. All I know is Katniss is right here, in my arms. She's mine. I'm hers.

I know she denies being in love with me, or maybe she doesn't want to say it out loud, but in the way her lips crashed against mine I know she does. It is something that has only happened in my dreams. The dreams that I never wanted to wake up from. Now they have become reality. With her in my arms I fall asleep easily and let the sound of the rain carry me away.

…

"Peeta, it's time to wake up." Katniss soft lips whisper against my ear. I'm warm and content and no danger looms outside. We're safe.

"Only if I get a kiss." I say back as Katniss releases herself from our huge comforter and works her lips against mine. It's perfect, like we've been practicing for hours. I move mine; she moves hers.

"There, now lets go make breakfast." She sits up from the blissful kiss. Her hair is in tangles, but somehow it looks good. She wears one of my shirts, which is way to big for Katniss' tiny body. Her face isn't scratched or bruised, her eyes not full of fear. We're safe.

"And what does my love want for breakfast?" She comes over to me and snuggles into my neck, like her head was meant to always be there.

"Well I don't know, a Mellark special? I hear they're divine." She giggles into my neck, her warm breath warming up my skin.

"They are. Would you like to assist me in making some?" She nods and goes for another kiss. She sits up abruptly and starts to shake me.

…

"Peeta wake up." Katniss whispers. I'm brought back to reality. Her eyes are weary and tired, her face scratched, a giant bandage covering her new cut.

Her braided hair is loose and in some places; a mess. We're not safe.

"What's wrong?" I push away a few stay hairs from her forehead. I make sure not to touch the cut; I don't want to cause her pain.

"Nothing, I just can't keep my eyes open. Mind taking guard?" Her sleepy eyes are hopeful as I nod my head. She says one final thing that I don't quite hear as she goes to sleep. Hopes for a better tomorrow?

"I'm just going to go out there and find something. We can't live very long on empty stomachs." I say. The rain still pours down and bread is still in my mind. The food is no longer here.

"No." Katniss says firmly, this time it's her hand holding me here, "You can barely see anything out there. You'll just get hypothermia, where will that get us?" Says Katniss. We're still deep in our sleeping bag, huddled together.

"At least I can go find some berries or something." My stomach growls, but it just sounds like the loud thunder we've been hearing for hours. I try to count in between the thunder and lightning, but I know the storm is going nowhere. It's a man made storm, it stays as long as they want.

"No Peeta, what ever happened to not risking lives?" Asks Katniss as a shiver runs down her spine. We're dry, but sometimes a breeze blows through and makes us cold again.

"We're risking our lives by just sitting here! We need food to live Katniss." My voice raises a level, but only because my hunger is overtaking me.

"I think I know that Peeta." Her words are simple, but full of meaning. Of course she does, she risks being arrested every day to get food. She's been starving before, her stomach empty for days on end. As for me, I'm dying if I miss one meal. We're not the richest, and we don't always have the biggest meals, but my mom makes sure that we do eat. Some days it's just day old bread, but we do eat.

"Fine I won't go." Her last comment made me realize that I should be able to sit this out. I'm sure I don't even look remotely the same as I did when I first started. I know I'm weaker, my muscles down to almost nothing. My already flat stomach is somehow flatter. If I do make it back, I will be cherishing food for the rest of my life. "I could really use a hot chocolate right now." I say, quietly, but Katniss picks it up.

"Shh. We can't think about what we want only what we have. Then we will surely go crazy. This storm isn't going to last forever. It can't." Katniss begins to reassure herself and snuggles in closer to me. I try to push out all the Capitol foods that keep on showing up in my brain, but it won't stop. I guess the only way to silence it is to talk. But with my mind weak, I don't really know what to say.

"When did you get the idea for the…" my sentence trails off. I was going to ask about the tracker jackers, but that would bring up my pain of all the nightmares. Katniss acts like she didn't hear what I said; instead she nestles in closer to my chest.

"Did you have a good dream last night?" I ask a few minutes later, after deciding it was an okay question that wouldn't cause hurt.

"I'm not sure. I don't think I dreamt." She answers, her words quiet and her voice soothing.

"Oh, that's to bad. I like to escape to my dreams. Well except for bad ones." I whisper it into her hair, like she's been mine forever.

"Well no one likes the bad ones." She answers back and the short conversation I had just started is somehow over. She's right. No one likes the bad ones. Even though I wanted to avoid my tracker jacker nightmares, they come to mind. I remember how in everyone she was mine. Just like it is now. She is mine. But then she was ripped from me and my heart was torn apart. I try to reassure myself that tracker jacker venom can't foreshadow. But then in the back of my head there's a voice whispering. _It can happen. It will happen._ And just like that, I'm scared again.

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**I hope you liked it! I like the ending, it's chilling. So anyways in other news, I'm up for reading any Hunger Games fanfics, so if you have one and you want me to read it, just PM me or tell me in the Reviews. I'll review it :) But I only read Hunger Games ones, sorry :) Don't forget to REVIEW on the way out! Thanks -boywithbreadlover**


	39. Chapter 39

**Here's the next chapter! I really liked this next conversation in the book, so I hope I did well. :) Enjoy! I do not own THG so any direct quotes will be in italics.**

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**Ch. 39**

After my failed attempt to keep the conversation light, we didn't talk much. I hope Katniss didn't feel me tense up after such a simple question. But really how many times did I have to see it in my dreams, before it actually came true. I had the nightmares before the Games, they were few and far in between, but they were there. I never made good cakes on the morning after they happened; I was just too frightened. I got used to the periodical dreams, and I started to reassure myself that those types of things would never actually happen. What if they do? Cato is very capable of killing and he's had a vendetta out for Katniss since day one sure we're a team, but my skills only go so far.

I'm glad Katniss doesn't try to keep up a conversation either, at least not until I've calmed down. She asks periodically if I want water, or if I'm cold, but no real conversation happens. I'm afraid I might brake down for a little while, but where would that get us? Certainly not closer to District Twelve. After I take a nap my heart doesn't beat as fast and I don't feel so shaken up anymore, but it's still there looming in the back of my mind.

It's a while before Katniss starts to speak, but I'm glad she does. Her voice reassures me that everything will be okay, even if that's not what she is telling me, "_Peeta,"_ Her voice cuts through the rain, making something sad into something beautiful, "_You said at the interview you'd had a crush on me forever. When did forever start?" _Her words in the very least are comforting; she actually wants to know.

"_Oh, let's see,"_ My mind flashes back to that fateful morning so long ago, "_I guess the first day of school. We were five. You had on a red plaid dress and your hair…"_ I see Katniss' hair, messy, but still in that braid, "_it was in two braids instead of one. My father pointed you out when we were waiting to line up."_

"_Your father? Why?"_ Katniss asks, her eyes clearly into my story.

"_He said, 'See that little girl? I wanted to marry her mother, but she ran off with a coal miner,'" _I say. I remember Katniss' father big, yet friendly. The whole District was saddened by his death.

"_What? You're making that up!"_ Exclaims Katniss, her hand slightly slapping my shoulder.

"_No, true story."_ I remember how it was only chance that my father had brought me. My mom had brought Rhys and Marcus to their first day, but the night before she had gotten sick. My dad really didn't want to leave the bakery, but it was a special occasion and I couldn't go by myself. My mom would have never showed me Katniss, where would I be if she had taken me? "_And I said, 'A coal miner? Why would she want to marry a coal miner if she could've had you? And he said, 'Because when he sings… even the birds stop to listen.'"_ I remember how whenever I saw Katniss' dad in town after that, I would always stop and be as quiet as I could be, just so I could hear if he was singing. His voice sometimes was the song to my sweetest dreams.

"_That's true. They do."_ Katniss pauses her voice faltering slightly, barely noticeable, "_I mean, they did."_ Her eyes go back to normal after just a second of mourning and urge me to go on.

"_So that day, in music assembly, the teacher asked who knew the valley song. Your hand shot right up in the air."_ In all the rest of my sweetest dreams it was Katniss' voice carrying the tune, "_She stood you up on a stool and had you sing it for us. And I swear, every bird outside the windows fell silent."_ It was early autumn, the birds were alive and vibrant, maybe it was in my head, but I never heard a bird during that time. I've never found a bird with a more beautiful voice either.

"_Oh, Please."_ She laughs it off as if I was joking.

"_No, it happened. And right when your song ended, I knew – Just like your mother – I was a goner."_ Well in the five year-old sense of I want to be your friend, but of course as I got more mature, my feelings did too. "_Then for the next eleven years, I tried to work up the nerve to talk to you."_ I admit, letting a smile cross my face.

"_Without success."_ Katniss adds.

"_Without success. So, in a way, my name being drawn in the reaping was a real piece of luck."_ I say. Katniss pauses, her face showing nothing for a few seconds. Maybe she forgot we were in the Games, she does it to me all the time. Did I do it to her?

"_You have a… remarkable memory."_ Those words make tons of memories of Katniss flash through my head. I could tell you anything about her, but did she even know my name?

"_I remember everything about you,"_ I say grabbing a stray hair that was hiding one of her grey eyes from my sight and move it away, "_You're the one who wasn't paying attention."_ I think of all the times she could've caught me staring, if only she were looking.

"_I am now."_ These three words pour out of her mouth and I'm instantly full of joy. She just admitted feelings, however not straight forward; it was her way of telling me.

"_Well I don't have much competition here."_ Gale's face flashes through my head at the worst times. Is he who's been keeping her from noticing? I need her to say something, anything, to reassure me, that he is just a friend. That there is nothing there.

"_You don't have much competition anywhere."_ She says, leaning in, closing the small space between us. I'm ready for another perfect moment. But I don't get it. A loud clunk disrupts us as I look out into the pouring rain. Is that? It's a sponsors gift, parachute and all. My mind wasn't on food, but it's amazing how fast it goes to it.

I get up fast to retrieve our meal, straight from the capitol. A perfect meal for the Star-Crossed Lovers from District Twelve.

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**I hope you liked it! Don't forget to REVIEW on the way out! Thanks -boywithbreadlover**


	40. Chapter 40

**Here's the next chapter! Sorry it didn't get on here until now, but I'll explain at the end, don't get mad at me :) Enjoy! I do not own THG so any direct quotes are in italics.**

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**Ch. 40**

I hadn't smelled food this good since the Capitol. All of me just wants to eat all of it, not even share with Katniss, and then just take a nap. But there's an annoying voice in the back of my head reminding me of the first night on the train. My stomach wasn't used to that food, I was really sick. Since I never want to get sick again in my life, I decide to listen to that voice, "_We better take it slow on the stew,"_ It's a lamb stew that we had had for breakfast one day, Katniss had told Caesar Flickerman it was the best thing about the capitol, "_Remember the first night on the train? The rich food made me sick and I wasn't even starving then." _

_ "You're right,"_ Katniss agrees, "_And I could just inhale the whole thing!"_ We decide to eat one roll, half an apple, and a small serving of the stew and rice. It's small yet amazing. I try to savor each bite, letting it sit in my mouth for a second before chewing and swallowing. We eat in silence as our stomachs let out a sigh of relief.

The food is gone too soon, and my stomach is still, although slightly better, in need of more. But I know it can't really handle it, "_I want more."_ Katniss says as the same thing passes through my head.

"_Me, too. Tell you what. We wait an hour, if it stays down, then we get another serving."_ I say, trying to get my nose to stop smelling the perfection.

"_Agreed. It's going to be a long hour." _The longest hour of my existence, but I have Katniss right next to me. At least it will be a happy one.

"_Maybe not that long,"_ I think back to the pure happiness of only a few minutes ago. Katniss finally admitted her feelings, "_What was it you were saying just before the food arrived? Something about me… no competition… best thing that ever happened to you."_

"_I don't remember that last part,"_ Says Katniss, her face blushing red.

"_Oh that's right. That's what I was thinking." _A chill runs down my spine as I realize since going to get the food, I wasn't in the sleeping bag, "_Scoot over, I'm freezing."_ I say as she moves over and I move in. I like the immediate closeness I get as we lean ourselves up against the cave wall. Katniss sets her head onto my shoulder, like we've always been this way. Like every night at home we sit in front of the fire, her head resting on my shoulder, my arm wrapped protectively around her, it's normal. Already the thoughts of hunger are gone and all my thoughts are moved to Katniss, us.

"_So since we were five, you never even noticed any other girl?"_ Asks Katniss, her head nestling in closer to my neck. I think of all the times I willed myself to like someone else. That liking Katniss was never going to work for me, it caused too much pain.

"_No, I noticed just about every girl, but none of them made a last impression but you." _I say, remembering also how I would compare all the girls to Katniss. None of them sized up though, because Katniss was just so different. She was her own person.

"_I'm sure that would thrill your parents, you liking a girl from the seam."_ Katniss' words are more a jab at herself than to me. She's basically saying she didn't deserve love because of where she was from. Sure, that's how my mom thought, but my thoughts never went that way. She was Katniss Everdeen, the girl I loved, and not the poor girl who worries for her families lives everyday. To me it's what makes her, her.

"_Hardly."_ My mom probably isn't happy right now, not that she ever really is, but she despises those kids. It's as if it was their choice to live that way, "_But I couldn't care less. Anyway, if we make it back, you won't be a girl from the Seam, you'll be a girl from Victor's Village." _I know being a Seam Kid is more than skin deep, but that's not what my mom cared about. She cared about class, if Katniss is a Victor my mom would be more than happy to call Katniss her daughter-in-law. She would forget Katniss ever lived in the Seam.

"_But then, our only neighbor will be Haymitch!"_ Says Katniss in mock horror.

"_Ah, that'll be nice." _I say, remembering how close I actually got to him. I actually kind of missed him, "_You and me and Haymitch. Very cozy,"_ I say just to joke with Katniss, "_Picnics, birthdays, long winter nights around the fire retelling old Hunger Games tales."_ I say these things only to bother Katniss, but I can imagine all of it. And it actually seems nice.

"_I told you, he hates me!"_ Katniss exclaims, but ends up in a fit of giggles.

"_Only sometimes. When he's sober, I've never heard him say one negative thing about you." _I say, trying to act serious as I hold Katniss, still in my arms.

"_He's never sober!"_ She exclaims.

"_That's right. Who am I thinking of? Oh, I know. It's Cinna who likes you." _I joke. Katniss only thinks Haymitch hates her is because of what he says to her, but he wouldn't have helped me with my plan if he hated her. He liked her, he saw potential, "_But that's mainly because you didn't try to run when he set you on fire. On the other hand, Haymitch… well, if I were you, I'd avoid Haymitch completely. He hates you." _I say with no seriousness in my voice.

"_I thought you said I was his favorite." _Katniss says. Which this is true, in the point of view of who would win the games. Even though I know Haymitch likes me, I know he favored Katniss more to win. Like I said being a Seam Kid wasn't only skin deep. It's in your blood. I wish I were part of something like that.

"_He hates me more,"_ I lie, only slightly, "_I don't think people in general are his sort of thing."_ Haymitch never comes into town. The only time you'll see him is when he is almost out of liquor, which he really stocks up on that stuff. People aren't obviously his thing, but he wants some relationships, I can tell.

"_How do you think he did it?"_ Katniss says after a quick moment of silence. The question doesn't seem to be on topic.

"_Who? Did what?" _I ask looking into Katniss' eyes.

"_Haymitch. How do you think he won the games?"_ I'd never really considered it. My mom had said, he won, our District was excited, but it's over now. She had told me this when I asked why he got to live in such a big house, while we don't. I look away up to the ceiling of our cave, and actually think about it. Haymitch is unique, like Katniss. He's his own person. He definitely would not think about the careers. He was strong, I'm sure. But he has something special in him.

"_He outsmarted the others." _I finally say after minutes of letting it roll around in my head. That's what you had to do to win right? Outsmart the others.

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**I hope you liked it! So why I didn't get this chapter on until now is because, I was helping my mom until late afternoon, and my Hunger Games DVD came in the mail today! I HAD to watch it! Wouldn't you? And then I watched some of the extras (which I have more of because I got it from Target and the box for the one from Target is super cool!) but then I realized that I had to right, and my dad wanted to watch T.V., but really I wanted to write at least one chapter today :) Any ways what do you guys think of Sam Claflin as Finnick? Don't you think he's perfect? Well if you don't, don't hate, because he is. Watch when they dye his hair and make him Finnick, you'll love him! Wow this is long, thanks for reading it! Don't forget to REVIEW and while your doing that tell me what you think of Same Claflin! Thanks! -boywithbreadlover**


	41. Chapter 41

**Here's the next chapter! Enjoy! I do not own THG so any direct quotes will be in italics.**

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**Ch. 41**

We're on our second meal when we hear the anthem begin to play. I get up to see if we missed a cannon, maybe Cato and Thresh's fight finished today, "_There won't be anything to see tonight,"_ There, I can barely make it out, but a tributes face shows through the rain. Thresh; Cato won the long battle. "_Nothing's happened or we would've heard a cannon." _Says Katniss. I know she feels connected to Thresh and that she wasn't really ready for his death.

"_Katniss," _I say, looking away from Thresh's picture.

"_What? Should we split another roll, too?" _She asks oblivious to the fact that there actually was a cannon today, probably mistaken for thunder.

"_Katniss," _I say again trying to get her attention, but she just looks away. And decides that she will split a roll. I just stare at her waiting for her to look at me.

"_What?"_ She asks annoyed.

"_Thresh is dead."_ I say letting it spill out, it was either that or wait for the right time to tell her, and there would never be a right time.

"_He can't be," _Her words are firm, sure. I almost believe her myself, but then I remember the picture in the sky, so clearly there.

"_They must have fired the cannon during the thunder and we missed it."_ I say.

"_Are you sure? I mean it's pouring buckets out there. I don't know how you can see anything."_ She still doesn't want to believe me as she looks into the night sky. Katniss sees the image and slumps down as it disappears. Her face goes to pure sorrow for just a second as she works through her emotions.

"_You all right?"_ I ask as I sit down next to her. Her face is now emotionless, but I can tell she's not happy.

She shrugs and pulls her arms close into her body. She's holding herself together; I just wish she would let me help her do that.

"_It's just… if we didn't win… I wanted Thresh to. Because he let me go. And because of Rue."_ Says Katniss, working through each word slowly making sure it was okay for the capitol to hear. To be honest I hadn't really thought about it, but he spared Katniss' life. If it were against Thresh and Cato I would pick Thresh every time.

"_Yeah, I know. But this means we're one step closer to District Twelve."_ It was necessary for Thresh to die, for all the tributes to die, I know that, Katniss knows that, but can't we mourn their deaths? To the capitol we can't. Why would we? They're just in our ways to getting home, but we were the same exact thing to them. We're all just kids trying to go home. With Thresh dead I'm not happy, but I know that District Twelve is that much closer.

I look to Katniss, her face still emotionless, it would be nice for a change in subject, "_Eat,"_ I push her plate towards her, "_It's still warm."_ Katniss takes a bite, but it looks like I force-fed her as she tries to swallow.

"_It also means Cato will be back hunting us." _ She says bringing up some scary details. Katniss and I knew we weren't completely safe for the past few days, but we knew that Cato was occupied somewhere else. We weren't exactly being the safest.

_"And he's got supplies again."_ I say, remembering the Feast teaser to get us to go there. Every one of us needed something, I knew Cato had weapons, but did he have food when Katniss destroyed everything? I wonder exactly what Cato got, and what he acquired of Thresh's.

"_He'll be wounded, I bet."_ I think of big, strong Cato, how could he possibly ever get wounded?

"_What makes you say that?" _I ask.

_ "Because Thresh would never go down with out a fight. He's so strong, I mean, he was. And they were in his territory."_ Then I think of Thresh, even bigger, even stronger. Just how did Cato win?

"_Good. The more wounded Cato is the better," _It's what we need for him to be at the disadvantage, "_I wonder how Foxface is making out."_ I say not quite remembering her from training. All I really could recall was her small stature and bright fiery red hair.

"_Oh, she's fine. Probably easier to catch Cato than her."_ Katniss has obviously seen her more in action. She told me about how she hid in the cornucopia at the feast, but other than that I hadn't heard much else.

"_Maybe they'll catch each other and we can just go home,"_ I say dreaming big, if it were up to the Gamemakers, which it is, it will never happen that way, "_But we better be extra careful about the watches. I dozed off a few times."_ We really weren't thinking about the true danger that lurked outside.

"_Me, too," _Katniss admits, "_But not tonight."_ Her words are firm. And I know they are true, if there's one thing I noticed about Cato it's that he doesn't wait to hunt.

We both get back into the sleeping bag and get ready for the long night ahead; I decide to take guard first. Katniss was sad and she needed to rest. I had a little bit left in me. Katniss digs herself into the sleeping bag and hides her face away from me, and the whole world.

After a couple hours my stomach begins to grumble again. The food is still sending scents my way. I should really wait for Katniss. It isn't fair, she's asleep and I just pig out. I've decided to wait until she wakes up, but my stomach grumbles again. I decide to just go ahead and eat I'll and make one for her as well.

I decide to have half a roll with goat cheese and apple slices on top. I remember the showcase in our bakery and try to think of the pastry closest to the wonderful taste in my mouth. Katniss wakes up before I can completely remember.

"_Don't be mad,"_ I say before she can protest, "_I had to eat again. Here's your half." _I hold up my masterpiece of food, it's not as good as my cakes, but it's as close as you can get in the Hunger Games.

"_Oh, good." _She reaches up and grabs it, taking a huge bite. She lets out a sigh of "_Mm," _When I remember what pastry this tasted like.

"_We make goat cheese and apple tart at the bakery."_ I say telling Katniss, of the pastry I barely ever got to eat.

"_Bet that's expensive."_ It was, it would probably cost Katniss ten squirrels just for one.

"_Too expensive for my family to eat. Unless it's gone very stale," _I remember we had one sitting in our case for a whole week before my mom decided we could share it, "_Of course, practically everything we eat is stale." _My family lives on day old bread and my mom only lets us eat fresh bread on birthdays and holidays. Being a merchant kid wasn't exactly the best, but it was better than the Seam.

I finish my treat and slip down into the sleeping bag. I let sleep consume me knowing that with Katniss here I'm safe.

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**I hope you liked it! I've really been enjoying my Hunger Games DVD, all the special features are cool! IF you don't have it you should, I know all the people in the UK have to wait longer, sorry to you guys, but I'm sure you're super excited for it to come! :) Don't forget to REVIEW on the way out! Thanks -boywithbreadlover**


	42. Chapter 42

**Here's the next chapter! I have an announcement down at the bottom so don't forget to read it! Enjoy! I do not own THG so any direct quotes will be in italics. **

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**Ch. 42**

I start my morning off with Katniss. A sweet kiss on my lips; and it's already a perfect day. I look out side to see a clear sky and the rain that was there when I fell asleep is completely out of sight, "_We're wasting hunting time." _Says Katniss after we break from our kiss.

"_I wouldn't call it wasting,"_ I say. I could spend the rest of the day just admiring Katniss. But I know that the lamb stew is quickly going away and that we need food, "_So do we hunt on empty stomachs to give us an edge?"_ I ask, my stomach already telling me what it wants.

"_Not us. We stuff ourselves to give us staying power."_ Katniss says. Our minds are clearly on the same track.

"_Count me in." _Katniss goes to divide up the food. She comes back with two huge plates of food; it's all the rest of what we have. "_All this?" _I ask.

"_We'll earn it back today." _I know what she says is true, her hunting skills give me confidence in her answer as I dig into the biggest meal I've had in a long time. I remember when I first had this meal in the Capitol I wondered why Haymitch had eaten it like it was the best thing on earth, now I knew why. It was. In the Capitol, I hadn't tasted just how perfect it was. I notice Katniss drop her fork and eat the last of her meal with her fingers, "_I can feel Effie Trinket shuddering at my manners." _Says Katniss. I laugh, remembering Effie's rude comment on the train.

"_Hey, Effie," _I call out to her, I know she's watching, who isn't? "_Watch this!"_ I throw my fork away, and begin to lick the last of my meal off of my plate. I make loud obnoxious noises, I can just hear her screaming at the television, I then look up and blow a kiss and say, "_We miss you, Effie!"_ Even though she annoyed me at times, she was somewhat likable.

Katniss flings her hand up and covers my mouth it. She laughs for a second but then goes onto, "_Stop! Cato could be right out side our cave!"_

I take her hand away and hold it in mine, "_What do I care? I've got you to protect me now," _I pull her in close and try to just let me hold her. But she tries to wriggle out.

"_Come on,"_ she says, and moves out of my hold. She gets up and starts to pack things. I decide she isn't in the mood for cuddling today especially since we just ate the rest of our food. She's ready to hunt. I'm a little nervous, how am I supposed to help? I haven't walked on my leg for long periods of time yet, yeah it's better, but the Capitol medicine didn't just make it disappear.

When we step out of the cave, reality hits. It was in the back of our heads the whole time, but we weren't paying attention to it. We're in the Hunger Games. We're in the final four. We might get to go home. There is a high chance that we'll go home, but Cato is still a strong contender. He could be behind a bush right now, getting ready for an attack.

"Here take my knife." Says Katniss, not wanting to leave me weaponless in such a dire time. I slip the knife into my belt.

"_He'll be hunting by now." _I say thinking of the way he was so eager to kill Katniss, "_Cato isn't one to wait for his prey."_

"_If he's wounded—" _Says Katniss, her words full of hope.

"_It won't matter. If he can move, he's coming." _It is so important to Cato to win, but his reason much different than Katniss and I. He wants to get home for the pride of his district. Is that what they tell them when they're young? You go to the Hunger Games to give us pride. He doesn't want to win because he has a sister who needs him at home, or a mother who will go crazy with out him. He doesn't know what this really means to Katniss. If she dies, so does her family. If he dies his District moves on.

Katniss doesn't find animals in her traps set before the storm. She decides we have to go back to where she hunted before. I ask if I can help, she tells me to just keep my eyes open and to walk on the rocks as to not leave a track. We walk along side the creek. By the time we're back onto the forest floor, my leg hurts a lot, but I don't want to bother Katniss so I just keep on going. Pretty soon something is bothering her and she turns around, "_What?"_ I ask.

"_You've got to move more quietly. Forget about Cato, you're chasing off every rabbit in a ten-mile radius." _Says Katniss; I think of how heavy I've been hitting my feet. I didn't know you had to be so silent while hunting.

"_Really? Sorry I didn't know."_ She suggests that I take my shoes off. But that doesn't sound like a good idea, what if I step on a rock. She pushes that I do it, so I eventually do and she does too. I try to walk lighter on my feet, but with my leg already hurting it doesn't work very much. Katniss doesn't get any game as we keep on walking and I have a very good feeling it's mostly my fault. We get to the place she wanted to go after many hours. She looks disappointed and like she doesn't know what to do.

"_Katniss,"_ I speak up, "_We need to split up. I know I'm chasing away the game." _

_ "Only because your legs hurt." _She says like it hurts my feelings that I suck at hunting. Which it doesn't because I've never done it before.

"_I know. So why don't you go on? Show me some plants to gather and that way we'll both be useful." _I think of sitting down and just gathering stuff, it sounds nice and I won't be a burden on Katniss.

"_Not if Cato comes and kills you."_ Katniss says. It's almost comical how weak she thinks I am. Wasn't it only a few weeks ago that she was arguing that I had a chance?

"_Look, I can handle Cato. I fought him before didn't I?"_ Although that fight was only survived because Cato had been stung, I still lived.

Katniss tries many things, but I finally get her to show me some roots to dig. Then she's off to get some meat. It's not long before I decide to go find a berry bush. I've been craving something sweet for the past few hours and I remember the berry mush Katniss had made me, although it was full of sleep syrup, it would still be sweet with out it. I find a berry bush fast, the berries are small and look appealing. I almost slip one in my mouth, but decide against. Katniss might get mad. Instead I grab a few and take them back to my coat, then go back. I do this for a while before I hear that loud unsettling boom. Some one has died.

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**I hope you liked it! So like I said I have an announcement! So, I'm might do Catching Fire as well, but I want to know that people actually want it. So if I get 50 people saying they want me to do it, I will. I'm telling you guys now because The Fate Games is almost over! I'll probably finish next week! Crazy! Now if I get 50 people to say they want me to do it, I won't be able to post as often because school is starting the week after next! So yeah, but if you want me to you can Private Message me or leave a REVIEW either would be great. Don't forget to REVIEW on the way out! Thanks -boywithbreadlover**


	43. Chapter 43

**Oh my goodness! I messed up; the cannon doesn't fire until later, disregard my last sentence sorry! Remember I'm only human, so I hope you guys can forgive me for that :) I didn't read far enough, sorry, the movie confused me. Which is no excuse! I'm sorry! Anyways here's the next chapter! Enjoy! I do not own THG so any direct quotes will be in italics.**

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**Ch. 43**

Just as I'm walking to back to my jacket an arrow whistles past my face. I jump back quickly and drop the berries I had just picked on to the ground. I turn around to face Katniss, her face worried, her eyes wild. She was scared.

"_What are you doing? You're supposed to be here, running around in the woods!"_ She exclaims. I don't really know what's going on, Katniss obviously doesn't trust my survival skills.

"_I found some berries by the stream." _I say lost.

"_I whistled."_ Katniss and I had agreed on a whistle that the Mockingjay's could pick up, so we would know that the other was safe. I had just done one only minutes before, "_Why didn't you whistle back?" _She asks suspicion creeping into her voice.

"_I didn't hear. The water's too loud, I guess."_ I move over to her because I'm not completely sure that she knows that it's me, that truly I'm safe. I place my hand on her shoulder; I try to reassure her.

"_I thought Cato killed you!"_ She exclaims, the words coming out, dripping with fear. She sounds on the verge of tears.

"_No, I'm fine." _I pull her into a hug, to show her that I'm here; that my heart is still beating. She stands still, not moving her arms to embrace my hug, she is still scared, "_Katniss?" _

She pushes away from the hug and I let go, "_If two people agree on a signal, they stay in range. Because if one of them doesn't answer, they're in trouble, all right?" _Her words are firm.

"_All right!"_ I say leaving off the yes ma'am.

"_All right. Because that's what happened to Rue, and I watched her die!" _This time her voice is full of pain and mourning. She turns away quickly before the tears start again. She begins to drink some water, "_And you ate with out me!" _She says. She sounds like she's just trying to complain about nothing. I try to remember myself eating, but I don't. I knew she would act like this if I did. I didn't even eat the berries because that's just how Katniss is. Besides from our meal this morning, I wasn't exactly hungry.

"_What? No, I didn't." _I respond quickly.

"_Oh, and I suppose the apples ate the cheese,"_ say Katniss, snottily.

"_I don't know what ate the cheese," _It was probably stupid of me to just leave it on the ground like that, who knew what animals were out here? Though I'm surprised they didn't eat all of it, "_but it wasn't me. I've been down by the stream collecting berries. Would you care for some?"_ I hold out the couple berries still in my hands. She stares at them for a second, but before she answers the unsettling sound of a cannon booms across the arena. Cato must've caught Foxface. He must be near; he has to be.

We need to get out of here; I push Katniss towards a tree, "_Climb. He'll be here in a second. We'll stand a better chance fighting him from above."_ I'm not really confident in my climbing skills, but I could get pretty high. Besides it's our best chance.

"_No, Peeta, she's your kill."_ Her words are calm, not like the whiny voice she had only moments ago, "_Not Cato's."_ Her words shock me. I've never been face to face with Foxface let alone close enough to kill her. How was I supposed to be the cause of her death?

"_What? I haven't seen her since the first day. How could I have killed her?" _Katniss looks at me her; eyes wide. She puts her hand out, the berries I had picked in it. The berries were deathly. It's not what had eaten the food; it's who.

"Wha– How do you know?" I ask. How could she be so totally sure?

"Foxface was clever. She's partially the reason I had found out about the supplies being booby-trapped. She knew the exact path to get to the stuff, and when she got there she only took enough so the Careers wouldn't notice." Says Katniss.

"If she was so clever why did she take poisonous berries?" I ask, still skeptical in Katniss' logic.

"If we were eating them, they obviously weren't lethal. You caught her on her own game." Says Katniss. I finally understand her story.

"_I wonder how she found us,"_ I say, then I think it over, according to Katniss I was being very loud, "_My fault, I guess, if I'm as loud as you say." _

"_And she's very clever, Peeta. Well she was. Until you outfoxed her." _I didn't mean to. I didn't even know she was that way. It could have easily been me in her place. I think of how close I actually came to eating one of those berries. It's a good thing Katniss likes to eat together. I still don't like the fact that she'll be counted as my death. I didn't mean to kill her; she shouldn't have died like that. Losing at her own game. It isn't fair. I know she had to die, but at the hand of me? The girl I had come across at the beginning of the games with the careers was different, I don't even know if she was counted as my kill. I like to think that I had put her out of her misery. Not like I did with Foxface, this was actually partially my fault.

"_Not on purpose,"_ I say, "_Doesn't seem fair somehow. I mean, we would have both been dead, too, if she hadn't eaten the berries first," _I rethink that. Katniss was so sure that Cato wasn't here. When she held out her hand, her eyes were big, knowing, her body sure. "_No, of course, we wouldn't. You recognized them. Didn't you?"_

_ "We call them nightlock."_ Nightlock, the one thing that could out-fox the fox.

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**I hope you liked it! Remember if you want me to do Catching Fire in Peeta's POV tell me, I need fifty people to want it, for me to do it :) I'll try not to make as many stupid mistakes on Catching Fire (if I do it) as I did on this one. I don't like to mess with Suzanne's work, because she wrote it like that for a reason, so that's why I feel so bad when I do, but if I do Catching Fire, I will do better :) Don't forget to REVIEW on the way out! Thanks! -boywithbreadlover**


	44. Chapter 44

**Here's the next chapter! Don't forget to read at the bottom, I have something new to tell you! Enjoy! I do not own THG so any direct quotes will be in italics.**

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**Ch. 44**

_ "Even the name sounds deadly." _It's could've been so simple to just eat those berries and I would be dead. It's a good thing Katniss knows what to look out for, "_I'm sorry, Katniss. I really thought they were the same ones you'd gathered." _They looked they same, but I wasn't one to pay attention to detail.

"_Don't apologize. It just means we're one step closer to home right?"_ One-step closer, another family mourning. I wonder what Foxface was fighting to get home for? A grandmother, a boyfriend, a sickly father.

"_I'll get rid of the rest." _We don't want to accidentally eat them. I gather up the plastic I had them sitting on and I'm about to throw them into the woods when Katniss yells, "_Wait!"_ What could she possibly want?

She takes the berries and puts them into a container. She's saving them for later, but what could she possibly need them for. "_If they fooled Foxface,"_ says Katniss, "_Maybe they can fool Cato as well. If he's chasing us or something, we can act like we accidentally drop the pouch and if he eats them—" _

_ "Then hello District Twelve," _How simple that would be, just get Cato to eat the nightlock, but maybe that's a little too much to wish for.

"_That's it." _Katniss takes the pouch of lethal berries and hooks it to her belt for easy access.

"_He'll know where we are now." _I say. We weren't exactly hiding ourselves. With Katniss yelling and Foxface dieing nearby; our location wasn't only known by the Capitol, "_If he was anywhere nearby and saw that hovercraft, he'll know we killed her and come after us. _

_ "Let's make a fire," _Says Katniss, her face serious, "_Right now." _I know I'm eager to get home, but I don't know if I'm ready for this. If Cato can come and he sees the fire he will be here with in a matter of minutes.

"_Are you ready to face him?"_ I ask. I have to be honest with myself in the end Katniss will be shooting that arrow which will hopefully kill Cato. It's not whether I'm ready; it's whether Katniss is. She'll be the one mostly fighting, unless he gets a hold of her. Then Cato better be ready for me to show him my wrestling skills.

"_I'm ready to eat. Better to cook our food while we have the chance," _If we live in complete fear of Cato, then these Games will go on forever, someone has to take a chance and it looks like it will be us. "_If he knows were here, he knows. But he also knows there's two of us and probably assumes we were hunting Foxface. That means you're recovered. And the fire means we're not hiding, would you show up?" _I wouldn't, but Cato might. He's got enough crazy in him to do it. I wouldn't be surprised, but if he is injured, probably not.

"_Maybe not," _I reply.

"Come on, help me with the fire." Katniss and I go to gather some wood. Since it's been raining for days it's all wet, but from what I learned during training I think I can manage. It's only a little while before the hot flame comes out of the cold damp wood. Katniss had shot some rabbit and squirrels. I'm reminded of all the family dinners with Katniss' game in it. She was where we got a lot of our meat. Now I get to eat it with her.

"I'm going to go get some greens. Keep watch for Cato." Katniss leaves me to watch over our fire. It's been a good twenty-minutes and Cato is still a no show. I have a feeling Katniss was right, we're not going home tonight. But there is only one other person left and then we're there. We'll be home and Katniss will be mine. I'll live in a huge house and I won't have to eat stale bread anymore. Our District will get food throughout the year. I will get to frost as many cakes as I like. Katniss and I can fall even more in love. Haymitch will become a close friend. Katniss and I will get married. My family will be all together again. Katniss and I will have kids. Prim won't ever have to starve again. Things will be good.

"Peeta, I can take watch now. Go get some greens." Say Katniss as she comes back her arms full of green. "There's some down over there." She points in a general direction and I follow her finger. She sits down by the fire and turns the meat around. I go to the place she pointed and start to gather.

"Peeta let's walk farther into the woods and then we can find a good tree to climb." We had finished cooking the meat and Katniss had packed most of it up. We each were eating a rabbit leg while we decided to do next.

"Katniss," I try to think of something to object, but nothing has come quite to mind.

"Come on," She starts walking, but I stay where I am.

"_I can't climb like you, Katniss," _I say; finally thinking of something, "_Especially with my leg, and I don't think I could ever fall asleep fifty feet above ground." _I don't think I've ever been up that high. The whole night I would be worried about falling, I would never be able to sleep.

"_It's not safe in the open, Peeta." _Says Katniss. What did she think I wanted to do, plop down right here and sleep? That's the stupidest idea ever. Well, she might not put it past me.

"_Can't we go back to the cave?"_ I kind of miss the cave even though we've only been away from it for a few hours, but it's where Katniss fell in love with me. I will remember it for the rest of my life, "_It's near the water and easy to defend." _I try to sell her on it, but I know she'll never actually agree to it.

She goes on her tip-toes and gives me a kiss, something that surprised me, and says, "_Sure. Let's go back to the cave."_

"_Well, that was easy."_ I say. I had already started to plan out my arguments, but she agreed. Tonight must be a good night.

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**I hope you liked it. So this isn't the "something new" I was talking about up there, but guess how I wore my hair today? In a Katniss braid! :) So here's the something new, I'm still sticking to the if I get 50 people saying they want me to do Catching Fire in Peeta**'**s POV, but I'm adding something new so it's what ever happens first that I'll write it. So for the new thing, if I get 15 people giving me a paragraph length reason why I should do it, I will. If you've already done one for the 50 you can do another one for the 15, and when you do one for the 15 it will also count for the 50, but if you just want to say like, "Do it!" that will only count towards the fifty. Okay? Okay. Don't forget to REVIEW on the way out! Thanks! -boywithbreadlover**


	45. Chapter 45

**Here's the next chapter! Enjoy! I do not own THG so any direct quotes will be in italics.**

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**Ch. 45**

"Peeta, it's Saturday. Get up! Dad's already baked the cakes." Marcus is shaking me awake and the light is shining in brightly from my one window. I'm not in the cave, or anywhere near victor's village, I'm home. I'm back above the shops ready for a normal day.

"I stayed up late last night. Just give me five more minutes." I murmur back to Marcus. He has already gotten ready for the day and it's clear he can't wait to begin our normal Saturday routine.

"Oh come on, I know you're some Capitol hot-shot now, but your still my brother Peeta to me. Come on we haven't done this in a month." Marcus answers back. I reluctantly sit up and show him that I'll get ready, but he still doesn't leave me.

"Let me get dressed." I tell him.

"No, just come down in those clothes they're fine. It's not like anyone will see you." These words confuse me; Saturday is one of our busiest days.

"Marcus, Please?" I ask again

"Katniss is hunting today, she won't be over until dinner. It will be fine; she's already seen you close to death, it wouldn't matter anyways." Marcus' words sting and the dream that started out happy is turning around. Marcus keeps hitting me with resentment as I sit silently; letting his hurtful words come. "People don't care what you wear Peeta, I know in the Capitol they do, but in District Twelve we don't. Don't you remember?" I try to wake up. It has to be time for me to wake up for guard, but before my eyes open my brother lets out one more thing, "Don't be such a Victor."

My eyes fling right open to get away from wherever my mind was taking me. I expect to come up to darkness, but instead find light coming in from the opening in our cave. Katniss didn't wake me at all, "_I slept the whole night. That's not fair, Katniss, you should have woken me." _Maybe then I wouldn't have had such a horrible dream.

She stretches her arms out and goes down into the sleeping bag, "_I'll sleep now. Wake me if anything interesting happens."_ Katniss falls asleep almost instantly and I'm left alone to think of my dream again.

Don't be such a Victor? What was that supposed to mean? If Katniss and I do make it out, I don't plan to be any different. Though that may be too much to ask for, but since Victors aren't celebrated in District Twelve, are they resented? Haymitch definitely wasn't resented; he wasn't actually talked about much around the District. Once in awhile around the games he's brought up in class, but only for a moment.

He's the only victor I really know. Other than the mentors they show every once and a while during the games. Sometimes they do specials on them like Where Are They Now, but other than that I don't know much. They're definitely different than others. They, I've, seen the Capitol's true potential. When at home, I see what they did, but being here I know just how bad it is. I never realized what those Victors went through. Like Finnick, the Victor from Four, he's the one they do the most specials on. He's arrogant. I find him to be vain and I never actually liked him. But on the other hand Kelly had adored him. Is there a difference from the Capitol Victors and the District Victors? In my dream Marcus kept on saying things of the Capitol, like I was now just another one of them. But I was home; I wasn't in the Capitol anymore, being painted for pride. No, I was home and that's where I plan to go; sure I'll have a nicer house, and I'll actually be able to have good food, but deep down I'll still be me. With a lot more experiences, but me.

In the end I conclude to never give into the pride that the Capitol wants me to give into. I'm not proud I'm in the final three. I'm just happy that I have a chance to go home. I'm not proud I survived and all the others didn't; I'm saddened by it.

Katniss wakes well into the afternoon and I'm happy she does because I was beginning to get bored, "_Any sign of our friend?" _Asks Katniss. I have to admit, I wasn't really watching, but if Cato had found us I doubt he would just sit outside the cave and wait for us to come out.

"_No, he's keeping a disturbingly low profile." _Cato wasn't one to wait; I have to wonder if he's injured like I was not to long ago. I have a feeling that we'll be the ones to find him.

"_How long do you think we'll have before the Gamemakers drive us together?"_ Asks Katniss. I think over all the times sitting in my living room, or out in the city center watching the final days. The Gamemakers were usually the ones to have the tributes find each other. It isn't very entertaining having to sit around and watch Tributes wander through the arena. Sometimes they used fires or water or muttations, whatever they did it was brutal. Sometimes even being the thing to kill the last tribute.

"_Well, Foxface died almost a day ago, so there's been plenty of time for the audience to place bets and get bored. I guess it could happen at any moment."_ I wasn't exactly ready, but I had prepared myself in the moments that Katniss slept.

"_Yeah, I have a feeling today's the day. I wonder how they'll do it." _I wonder the same thing, but there's no way to actually know. And what would speculating do? Make us worry more, fear is not what we need right now, strength is.

I stay silent and wait for Katniss to say something else. "_Well until they do,"_ She finally speaks up, "_No sense in wasting a hunting day. But we should probably eat as much as we can hold just in case we get in trouble." _We get to work on leaving. I pack up all of our stuff while Katniss lays out our final meal. This time I know, somehow, we won't be coming back.

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**I hope you liked it! I feel bad that I put Finnick down in this chapter, but I fell like until you get to know Finnick, you won't really like him. Katniss doesn't until well into the Games in Catching Fire. Which speaking of Catching Fire; don't forget to tell me that you want it! Either in paragraph(basically why I should) for the 15, or just something simple saying I should do it for the 50. And remember if you do one for the 15 it counts for the 50 as well! Don't forget to REVIEW on the way out! Thanks! -boywithbreadlover**


	46. Chapter 46

**Here's the next chapter! Enjoy! I do not own THG so any direct quotes will be in italics.**

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**Ch. 46**

"_Not even a little damp." _Says Katniss as she feels the bottom of what used to be the creek; "_They must have drained it while we slept." _This sign is clear. The Gamemakers aren't going for brutal to draw us together this year. They're banking on a big final fight.

_"The lake. That's where they want us to go." _The big giant lake that the Careers had claimed as their own was now our only source of water.

"_Maybe the ponds will have some," _Says Katniss, denying the inevitable.

"_We can check," _I say because it wouldn't hurt. And right now we have enough water for the day. We make the trip to I'm guessing was once a pond, but all I see is a dry hole, nothing more.

"_You're right. They're driving us to the lake," _Katniss finally admits I had the right idea all along, "_Do you want to go straight away or wait until the water's dripped out?"_ Part of me wanted to accept her offer; I wasn't sure how this fight was going to go. But the other part of me just wanted to go home.

"_Let's go now, while we've had food and rest. Let's just end this thing." _Katniss nods and I go hug here. To know that she's here with me and there is only one more tribute it feels surreal. I was fully prepared to die, but my fate was different. "_Two against one. Should be a piece of cake." _I say, more reassuring myself than Katniss.

"_Next time we eat, it will be in the Capitol." _Says Katniss.

"_You bet it will." _When I expect Katniss to let go of the embrace and keep walking, she doesn't. Instead we take it all in, in each other arms. Both tired and lost and homesick, but with each other. I get back my strength that I lost in doubt only a few minutes ago and I recharge. When we're done refueling in each others arms we both simultaneously let go and begin the journey to the lake. The place of the final battle.

We walk silently for a while but then conversation begins, "How long have you been frosting the cakes for?" Ask Katniss as we make our way through the forest.

"A while. I was pretty young when my dad handed me the spreading knife and a bowl of frosting. I used to only do the bottom layer, but then I began designs and when I surpassed my mom's skill I was the head froster. If that's even a thing." I tell Katniss as countless memories flash through my head of all the different cakes I've frosted.

"You must have a good hand. I've never been good at that stuff." Says Katniss.

"What do you mean?" I ask.

"Well like in school when we did art, I was never good. I would always see yours hanging on the wall or up on the teachers desk. You were amazing." She says and I wonder if maybe she did notice me.

"Yeah well, being a good artist didn't really help in the Games. Your archery skills are supreme." I say.

"Well yeah, but that's because I practiced. Anyone could do it. But you; it's like you were born with it. And don't say it didn't get you far, if you hadn't spoken up by the stream I wouldn't be able to see. Who knows how many tributes walked right by you!" Katniss says, and once again she's made her skill at archery look like nothing. She has to give herself some credit.

"You were born with it." I say, she stops in her tracks and turns around.

"What?"

"Archery. You were born with it. The girl from One, Glimmer, told me she was the best in her district. She didn't even come close to your skill. You were born with it." Katniss doesn't say anything else; instead she turns around and keeps walking. Our conversation had ended.

We come to the place of the tracker jacker scene. The nest sits withered and nearly destroyed on the ground. Katniss only has to lightly tap it with her boot for it to disintegrate into nothing. It's not a happy place anymore, it never actually was, but now it seems even darker, "_Let's move on."_ Says Katniss and move on we do. I couldn't leave the place fast enough.

By the time we reach the open land, in which sat the Cornucopia and the lake, the sun was beginning to dip down into the sky. No sign of Cato at all. We even checked inside the Cornucopia to see if he was hiding from us, but he wasn't.

"_We don't want to fight him after dark. There's only one pair of glasses." _Says Katniss, looking out into the horizon at the ever-shrinking sun.

"_Maybe that's what he's waiting for." _I think of the multiple pair of glasses Cato had, he definitely isn't scared of the dark, "_What do you want to do? Go back to the cave?" _I know I want this thing to end, but here in the arena our cave is our only home. I know we had to leave it sometime, but I kind of miss it.

"_Either that or find a tree," _Katniss clearly likes trees and the cave is a long hike back, which would be in the dark. It probably wasn't the best idea, "_But let's give him another half an hour or so. Then we'll take cover." _We sit by the lake. No trees hiding us; or caves protecting us. We're ready for whatever is to come.

We sit in silence and let the birds sing songs. Katniss surprises me and sings out a four-note melody. All the birds fall silent and listen, and then just like Mockingjay's do they sang it back. The notes mix with each other and in such an evil place something beautiful happened.

"_Just like you father." _I say as I hear the birds copy Katniss' tone and everything. So beautiful.

"_That's Rue's song," _Says Katniss sadly, "_I think they remember it." _

We get to listen to the beautiful sounds for a while before everything changes. Their voices don't let out the wonderful tune anymore; instead comes sounds of warning. Cato is coming. We get up fast; I have my knife in hand, Katniss her bow. Cato comes crashing onto the plain. He's running fast. Katniss shoots an arrow right at his heart, but it just bounces off.

"_He's got some kind of body armor!"_ She shouts. Cato becomes closer and closer, but he doesn't stop. Instead he keeps running. Katniss is running before I see them, but then with in a matter of seconds I do. Capitol Muttations and they're coming fast. I run for my life, and suddenly I'm not so sure I'll make it home.

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**I hope you liked it! So I've been thinking about Catching Fire, and I'm so excited to write it, but I don't have 50 or 15 yet! So anyways, if I do, do it, I'll need a title. I've thought of Catching Sparks, and Rekindled Fire, I like to have part of the original title (Catching Fire) in it, so if you can think of better ones or like one of those tell me! Don't forget to REVIEW on the way out! Thanks! -boywithbreadlover**


	47. Chapter 47

**Here's the next chapter! I really enjoyed writing this one, so I hope you like reading it! Enjoy! I do not own THG so any direct quotes will be in italics.**

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**Ch. 47**

Running isn't easy, but it's essential. I can feel the mutts behind me. They are huge wolf like creatures, but definitely made in a Capitol lab, deep in the underground offices. It seems they did go for brutal; what I thought would be just a fight between Cato and us has turned into a fight for our lives against a Capitol creation. The only thing is, Cato is fast, Katniss is fast, and I'm injured. My leg protest as I try to work it faster and faster, harder and harder, but I seem to only go slower. I know the mutts are catching up to me, but I can't look. Katniss and Cato have gone for the Cornucopia, the only structure to go to. Katniss reaches it and I will her to climb up and save herself. But she made a promise to herself, and silently to me, to keep me alive. She shoots an arrow at one of the mutts and I'm confident that it went down; but there is way more than one. Katniss' arrows are dwindling; she shouldn't be using them on me.

"_Go, Katniss, go!"_ I call to her, willing her to save herself. I have just enough strength in me to get there and I know I can. If I can't I really am good for nothing, but I fight for it. Once I get to the Cornucopia my mind goes blank. I see Katniss, arrow ready, a shot clearly meant for Cato and I can't think, "Katniss!_" _I cry out waiting for help before the mutts get here.

"_Climb!" _She calls and my body suddenly does what her words tell me to do. It's hard with a knife in my hand and an injured leg, but I get up high enough for Katniss to pull me up, she keeps hold of my arm.

"Can they climb it?" Cato calls out, it's hard to understand, but I hear the words loud and clear as I wonder the same thing myself.

"_What?" _Katniss shouts to Cato, not being able to hear his pain-filled words.

"_He said, 'Can they climb it?'" _I tell her and she says nothing. Instead we watch as the mutts begin to survey where we are. Each mutt is different; same species, just somehow distinguishable. They begin to scratch and walk around the Cornucopia, letting out high-pitched noises. I can't help but think they are communicating. They finally decide on something as one of the mutts jumps onto the Cornucopia. It's monstrous as it leaps onto the golden metal of the Cornucopia. It tries to find purchase on the metal as Katniss sets in an arrow. She shrieks and her hands shake. And even though it's clear this mutt will be no danger to us as it slides down the Cornucopia, Katniss still shoot an arrow at it's throat. Other than our obvious problems, something else is wrong.

"_Katniss?" _I ask, willing her to tell me.

"_It's her!"_ She exclaims. It sounds as if she's gone crazy. The happy melody that escaped from her lips only moments ago is a distant memory and Katniss acts like a totally different person.

"_Who?" _I ask, hoping there is reason to this moment of insanity. Katniss doesn't say anything; instead she looks around at the different mutts. Her head swivels around locking on each one for just a second. Her face gets more and more complexed with each one she looks at. "_What is it, Katniss?" _I shake her shoulder, hoping to get her back because for a second I think I've lost her.

"_It's them. It's all of them. The others. Rue and Foxface and… all the other tributes." _I survey the mutts. Each one so different, but why. There, that's Clove, black hair, tiny stature, and that's Kelly right there. And Marvel? A gasp escapes my lips as I look into each ones eyes. So human, so knowing. They couldn't possibly be the eyes of a wild animal.

"_What did they do to them? You don't think… those could be their real eyes?" _I lock eyes with the girl I had put out of her misery, in mutt form, on the first night. They had to be hers. How else could they make them look so real? Our families looking at their loved ones one more time to find they have no more eyes? The Capitol was capable of it, but why would they do such a thing. It was so inhuman, but isn't this whole thing inhuman. Why not take their eyes out if we've already taken away their lives?

I'm thinking about this when one of them comes and grabs me by the leg and pulls me. It's lucky Katniss had a hold on me or I would be tumbling to the ground, surely dead. But I'm not and I have a knife in my hand and as Katniss urges me to kill it I do. I stab it in the face with my knife over and over and over again until it finally loosens it's grip and dies.

Katniss pulls me back fast; I'm good, injured again, but good. My leg bleeds heavily and my brain fights for consciousness, but I'm good. Well I was until Cato grabs me from Katniss' grip. His arm is locked around my neck and I'm fighting for air. Katniss aims quickly, it is aimed straight towards Cato. I try to get his arm away, but with the loss of blood and lack of air, I'm dying quickly.

Cato laughs. It's the laugh of a crazy person, "_Shoot me and he goes down with me." _He's right. Right off the edge I would go with him. And I'm fine with it, as long as Katniss lives, but I know Katniss won't accept it. She won't let me die when we've come so close. It's not possible. I need to think us out. Think Peeta! Think Peeta! His hand! If Katniss shot his hand he would let go. All I have to do is show her. I mark the X slowly on the hand and Katniss realizes just fast enough and lets the arrow fly. His hand instantly lets go in pain and as air fill my lungs again I slam him back over the edge. For a second I almost lose my footing, but Katniss is there to save me. Cato, our only real opponent is given to the mutts.

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**I hope you liked it! If you want me to do Catching Fire, don't forget to tell me :) Either for the 15 or 50 :) Don't forget to REVIEW on the way out! Thanks! -boywithbreadlover**


	48. Chapter 48

**Here's the next chapter. Enjoy! I do not own THG so any direct quotes will be in italics.**

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**Ch. 48**

The sound is full of pain as Cato's body makes contact with the hard earth. Almost instantly you can hear the wolves find him and another battle begin. Katniss and I stand in each other's arms, both broken and lost from weeks in the arena, but together. My leg is bleeding; I don't think I can do anything to stop it. We stand and wait for all of this to end, but it doesn't. We don't look over to see the brutal fight, that I know only lasts longer because Cato has that body armor on.

There are human cries and mutt cries, but every one is full of agony. It's painful for me; although my body is loosing tons of blood, all I really feel is Cato's pain. But I want this don't I? For him to die so I can go home with Katniss and live happily ever after. But only now I realize it won't be completely happy. Our whole lives we'll live knowing that twenty-two other children died so that we could live. There is no good in the Hunger Games, even if you do win. Sure I'll get to go home alive, I'll have a big house, but I'm witnessing, right now, someone's last moments. Will Cato haunt me for the rest of my life? His painful cries, the sound of teeth chomping loudly and deep scary growls meeting me in nightmares each night?

I try to tell myself I'll have all I need that I will have to be happy. I got Katniss, shouldn't the rest be fine? But as I look at Katniss now I see a totally different person than the girl I used watch walk home each day. She's changed, the Games have changed both of us. I will no longer be Peeta Mellark, Bakers Son. I'll be Peeta Mellark, District Twelve Victor. There are so many meanings behind that title. Victor. In the capitol I'm celebrated, but what of Kelly's parents or Foxface's or the girl from the first night. They definitely won't celebrate me; I survived when their kids did not. And what of at home? Will I be able to live my life in peace?

It's all too much to think about. My mind is becoming drowsy, I can feel my heart wanting more blood, but only getting less and less. Cato looses the battle between the mutts, his body hits the ground and they begin to drag his body into the Cornucopia. I wait for the final unsettling cannon. It doesn't come, instead comes sad cries of pain. Something I would never expect from someone like Cato, but in the last moments of life all rules are broken.

Katniss takes time to look at me. Her eyes looking away from the horizon and onto my leg, "Peeta let me look at that." She moves me over and sets me down so I can rest my back against the tail of the horn. As Katniss works on my leg I feel my eyelids get heavy. Death is coming. Maybe I won't be a Victor after all, just a forgotten tribute. Maybe that's better. Maybe that would be nicer. It would be so easy to close my eyes and let death take me. I feel Katniss working on my leg, her work intense and full of worry. Doesn't she know it would be best if she just let me go?

"_Don't go to sleep." _Her words are firm and they jerk me back from whatever my dying mind was telling me. I have to live, it's not only essential to me, but to Katniss as well. Would her life be ruined if I died? Not completely, but it would be hard to go through it alone. Haymitch had to, look where it has gotten him. I won't let Katniss suffer through being a Victor alone. Sure it would be easy to let death find me, but it would be harder for Katniss to be on her own. It's only a little while longer, and then I'll be in the doctors' hands, safe.

I look to Katniss she has made a tourniquet for my leg out of her shirt and an arrow. It's a cold night and even though she has her jacket still on, with out her shirt she shivers. Even with all of my clothes on, I'm cold as well. It would be nice to be back in our cave inside our sleeping bag away from the wind, but all of our supplies are by the lake; our sleeping bag is out of reach. _"Are you cold?" _I ask, opening my jacket and zipping her in with me. With our body heat together and our hearts beating as one, the cold night wind seems almost bearable. I can just see the Gamemakers slowly turning the temperature dial, making this night the worst I've ever been through.

"_Cato might win this thing yet."_ Katniss whispers into my ear. I hear his moans mixed in with unnatural noises of the mutts and I wonder how he still goes on.

"_Don't you believe it." _I pull up Katniss' hood because her teeth are shaking, maybe that will help. But my own body still has not found warmth.

We sit in silence for hours just listening to Cato slowly wither away. I can't picture any sane person watching this and actually enjoying it, but the Capitol people are probably on the edge of their seats. It's a shame. Cato's last moments on this earth are broadcasted to the whole world. He should be remembered for more than his death. He wasn't likeable, but he had a life. He had a mom and a dad and friends somewhere in the heart of District Two, but he's going to be remembered for this. These sad vulnerable sounds escaping his mouth are what will be playing in any one's mind when reminded of Cato, but next year there will be more brutal deaths. Cato will be forgotten.

"_Why don't they just kill him?" _Asks Katniss after Cato has been making sad whimpering sounds for a long time.

"_You know why," _The final fight is always the worst, usually dragged on for hours on end. Unless the tributes are no good, then it's ended quickly. But this year with The Star-Crossed Lovers fighting to get home and the boy from Two fighting for pride, it will go on for a while.

In Cato's agony I find my own weaknesses. My eyes get heavier and heavier as the night goes on and each time I'm ready for death to come I hear Katniss urging me to live. It's her voice that keeps me going. Her body heat next to me, her strong heart beating, they tell me to stay alive.

The night is slow as I track the progress of the moon and watch, as the darkness slowly becomes light. I don't know anymore why the Capitol has kept this going, hasn't the boy been through enough and just like on the first night I wanted to put that girl out of her misery, I want to put Cato out of his.

"_I think he's closer now. Katniss, can you shoot him?"_ It's the only way to do it.

"_My last arrow's in your tourniquet." _Katniss says. I unzip the jacket holding us together and let her out.

"_Make it count," _I say. Katniss loosens the arrow from the tourniquet that has somewhat stopped the bleeding, but it will begin again as the tourniquet is loosened. I hold onto Katniss as she peers over the lip to shoot Cato. I hear the arrow fly and pull Katniss back up.

"_Did you get him?" _The unsettling cannon fires and the boy that once stood in the way of everything was suddenly gone. "_Then we won, Katniss."_ My tired voice is not excited, but lost.

"_Hurray for us," _says Katniss, her voice at the same tone. What does winning mean exactly?

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**I hope you liked it. It's a really depressing chapter and was sad to write :'( Okay in other more happy news, can we all just take a second and appreciate Suzanne Collins. We all know her writing is superb, but I just want to remind you that it is also Simply Amazing. I write this with my book open right next to me, and don't usually just read it, I scan, but sometimes I read a couple paragraphs and each time I do, just ahhh. I love her. Don't forget to REVIEW on the way out! Thanks! ~boywithbreadlover**


	49. Chapter 49

**Here's the next chapter! Enjoy! I do not own THG so any direct quotes will be in italics.**

* * *

**Ch. 49**

Silence comes next as the wolves go back to wherever they were made; under the arena, out of sight. There is no sounds of celebration or the loud inspirational voice of Claudius Templesmith. Just silence.

My leg has begun to bleed again and I feel more light-headed than ever. I need to leave fast. I need the doctors' quick hands now.

"_Hey!" _Katniss shouts to the unseen Gamemakers, "_What's going on?" _There is no answer. Only the birds back to their songs and the wind whispering silently across the plain.

"_Maybe it's the body." _They must use separate hovercrafts and want to get the body first. "_Maybe we have to move away from it." _I say.

"_Okay. Think you can make it to the lake." _I look to the lake, although it's not that far, with my leg like this it's nearly impossible. But if it's what the Gamemakers want, I must do it.

"_Think I better try," _I say. We make our way off the Cornucopia and onto the ground. We purposefully fell off, but I'm not sure if I can actually get up. Katniss gets up first and begins to stretch her arms, her legs, everything. After lying down in the same position for hours, stiffness has set in.

She helps me up and we begin the short pain-filled trek to the lake. I put most of my weight on Katniss and it's like we're going to our cave for the first time all over again. Only this time it's more painful and this time there is no other tributes trying to kill us. There is only us. I try to tell myself that we won that everything will be okay, but everything doesn't seem okay.

We make it to the lake and Katniss brings water to my lips, my forgotten dry throat no longer complains. Katniss takes a drink herself. Then there it is, the hovercraft to take Cato away from this miserable place. Only once it leaves there is silence once again.

"_What are they waiting for?" _I ask. I can feel the toll this injury has taken on my body. I'm dying quickly.

"_I don't know." _Answers Katniss. How could we know? Katniss gets up to look for something, I'm not quite sure what, but then the loud voice of Claudius Templesmith comes across. Only he doesn't speak of congratulations.

"_Greeting to the final contestants of the Seventy-fourth Hunger Games. The earlier revision has been revoked. Closer examination of the rule book has disclosed that only one winner may be allowed,"_ I no longer like Claudius Templesmith's voice at all. It is no longer inspirational, but evil, "_Good luck and may the odds be ever in your favor." _He lets out the final catch phrase. But they aren't in my favor, not at all. I'm back instantly to my beginning mindset, Katniss must win. I'm already close to death; I'm ready.

Why did I believe they would let two people live? It's so not the Capitol, "_If you think about it, it's not that surprising." _Katniss' eyes are wide, her mouth open. Everything she's done to keep me alive was useless.

I have to let her win. I need to show her that I don't want to win if means her dying. Getting up is hard, but I must do it. I walk closer to her and closer to the lake. I take the knife from my belt. Katniss instantly raises her bow. Does she really think I'd kill her? I drop the knife into the lake and let it sink. I no longer need it.

Katniss does the same, only not into the lake, but it would be easier if she just shot. Then this would be over and I wouldn't have to worry about Katniss living. I'd know in my last moments that she did. What if they send those mutts back in and I die just like Cato, long and not worth it. "_No. Do it." _I move my leg with all my strength and thrust her bow and arrow back into her hands.

"_I can't. I won't." _Katniss says. Her words firm, just like they were when she told me I wouldn't die.

"_Do it. Before they send the mutts back out or something. I don't want to die like Cato." _I'm the one that has to die. My family will be fine with out me, and if I lived, I wouldn't really be living. With out Katniss I'm nothing. Katniss has people that depend on her, lives that keep living only because of her.

"_Then shoot me," _she shoves the weapons into my hands, "_You shoot me and go home and live with it!" _We had both promised to keep each other alive, but when it came down to it, Katniss was the one that had to live.

"_You know I can't," _I throw down the weapons. It seems Katniss will never bring herself to killing me. I'm already dying anyways. "_Fine, I'll go first anyways." _I start to undo the bandage, it wasn't doing much, but with out it I will die quicker.

Katniss quickly comes over to me and tries desperately to put it back on, "_No, you can't kill yourself,"_ It's one of the things I loved about her, how stubborn she is, but right now she needs to realize that it doesn't help.

"_Katniss, it's what I want."_ For you to live. It's what I wanted all along, even before we came into the arena. Everything I tried to do was to keep you alive. I want these words to spill out of my mouth, but I can't find the strength to say them. At least she'll have the letter. Then she'll know.

"_You're not leaving me here alone." _It's what I'd been telling myself all through the night. I wasn't going to leave her alone, but now I have to. There is no way out.

"_Listen,"_ I pull her up from her feet, trying to bring her out of this delusional state, "_We both know they have to have a victor. It can only be one of us. Please take it for me." _Katniss doesn't say anything for a while instead she just stares straight ahead. But then she moves, her hand moving for the pouch full of nightlock. I quickly grab her wrist. She won't commit suicide for me. It's not supposed to work that way.

"_No, I won't let you." _I say firm in my words although my mind begins to slowly drift away.

"_Trust me." _She says. I look into her eyes and try to find something in there. Has she devised a plan? She's so sure her eyes full of hope. I let go of her wrist and pray she hasn't just fooled me. She loosens the top of the container holding the berries and pours some into my hand. Then into hers. If we both simultaneously die they won't have a victor. The Capitol would be outraged. If this plan works we'll both be out alive.

"_On the count of three?" _says Katniss.

I lean over and kiss Katniss one more time. If this doesn't work and both of us die at least I'll know that she loved me, "_The count of three." _I say. We stand with our backs to each other our hands locked into the others. And if I do die right now, I will be one-hundred percent me.

"_Hold them out. I want everyone to see." _Nightlock. Deadly. Gone with in minutes. Katniss squeezes my hand one last time. This could be our final moments together. "_One," _My last moments are before me, "_Two," _they want a victor, don't they? "_Three!"_ I take my last breath and bring the berries up to my mouth as the loud trumpets blare.

"_Stop! Stop!" _I bring the berries down, ready to listen. "_Ladies and Gentlemen, I am pleased to present the victors of the Seventy-fourth Hunger Games, Katniss Everdeen and Peeta Mellark! I give you—the tributes of District Twelve." _We did it! I knew it all along didn't I? To win the Hunger Games you have to outsmart the others. I just wasn't clear on who exactly the others were.

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**I hope you liked it! So I will no longer be doing if you want me to do Catching Fire, tell me, because it seems to annoy some of the readers and from what I've gotten already I think I have enough. I was only doing it to see if people would actually read it, but I think 50 would be too much, so I will be deciding by myself wether I'm doing it or not. I will tell you on the last chapter if I am. Sorry if I annoyed you, that's not what I'm trying to do. Don't forget to REVIEW on the way out! Thanks ~boywithbreadlover**


	50. Chapter 50

**Here's the next chapter! Wow, I can't believe it's the 50th! Anyways, Enjoy! I do not own THG so any direct quotes will be in italics.**

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**Ch. 50**

Katniss and I instantly spew the few berries that had made it in to our mouths. We go to the lake quickly and begin to rinse out our mouths so to make sure we don't die after all of this. "_You didn't sallow any?" _Asks Katniss. If I had then all of this would be for nothing.

I shake my head, not had feeling one berry slide down my throat, "_You?" _I ask.

"_Guess I'd be dead by now if I did." _Says Katniss.

"I'm so happy we won Katniss," I say and then add, "I love you!" But I don't think she heard me. The sounds of the Capitol loudly fill the arena. I guess I'll have to tell her some other time, when the whole of Panem isn't watching and our voices won't be heard.

The hovercraft is there fast. I start to feel even worse as the blood continues to pour. I can't think straight anymore. Katniss helps me onto the ladder and holds onto me, but we're frozen. What's happening? Where are they taking us? I don't feel good. Everything becomes fuzzy and I feel my breathing becoming shallow. Don't leave Katniss! You can't! She'll be alone! She can't do this alone! But even with my best efforts the darkness finds me.

"Peeta. Why'd you do that?" It's Rue; the girl that Katniss had so much love for with in only a matter of days. I'd never talked to her, but here she was right in front of me. Right in front of our cave. Katniss is nowhere to be seen.

"Do what?" I ask, confusion setting in. Rue comes up to me and places a small careful hand on my shoulder.

"Leave her. You were supposed to be there for her. She depended on you. I depended on you." What does she mean? I never left her I was by her side the whole time. I'm still there for Katniss, aren't I?

"I never left her. I'm here." I say looking into Rue's big eyes. They look scared, hopeless.

"But where is she?" Her question is simple, but before I can answer or even comprehend it I'm put somewhere else.

I can't feel or move, but I can hear. "We can't lose him!" Some one yells.

"We aren't going to, he'll be fine!" Then I go deaf again to whatever was going on outside my body. I'm thrown back inward only this time I'm back home.

"Peeta." It's Prim, her eyes wide her lips quivering. She isn't the happy girl I remember peering into our bakery window. "Katniss would have wanted you to have this." Her hands are shaking, a tear glistening on her cheek. She hands me a bow and a quiver of arrows.

"But Prim she's alive. We both made it out alive. She needs this." I hand her back the bow as Prim begins to really cry. Tears spill over the edge of her eye like an endless waterfall.

"No." Is all she says before my mind goes blank completely not even nightmares playing inside my head.

Bright lights meet my eyes instantly as I open my eyes. The room I'm in is white and bright and nowhere near the arena. I look at my hands and don't find one speck of dirt or blood on them; instead they are completely white. Katniss is nowhere to be seen when a man I've never met before walks into the room.

"Where's Katniss?" I ask picking my head up slowly making sure I'm fine.

"Peeta." Is all he says and it doesn't calm me. How does he know my name? I've never even met the man before. I have to remind myself I'm a victor, everyone knows my name now.

"Is she okay?" I ask urgently.

"Katniss is doing quite well. She is in another room. You'll see her soon enough." Soon enough? When was soon enough? An hour, a day, a week? No I needed to see her now. I needed to see her with my own eyes to know that she is alive and breathing and completely safe.

"Why can't I see her now?" I ask, getting ready to get out of the bed and find her myself.

"Because, she's uh…" He's at a lost for words for a second, " She's sleeping and right now that's really what she needs and what you need as well. So if you'd like you can go back to sleep." Sleep doesn't sound comforting, until I know that Katniss is alive I'll have nightmares that she isn't. Sleep is no longer where I want to go.

"Can you tell me when she's awake?" I ask. I wait for him to leave, but he doesn't. Instead he stands with his arms crossed and his feet firm. He either wants to tell me something or really wants me to go to sleep. "I'm sorry I didn't catch your name."

"Oh, yeah sorry. I'm Dr. Tetra. I'm your doctor." I expect him to say more, but he doesn't instead he just stands again.

"Did you want to tell me something?" I ask.

"Yeah actually I did." He pauses for me to say something, but I stay silent. I'm ready for whatever news he had for me. "What's the last thing you remember?" He asks.

"Being pulled into the hovercraft, but I don't remember actually going into it." I say.

"So you know that you lost a lot of blood?" He asks like I know nothing. I had that injury hours before we were taken out of the arena. I knew how much blood I had lost.

"Yeah, I couldn't exactly think straight before I passed out, it was obviously from lack of blood." I say. This doctor was beginning to frustrate me.

"And Katniss put that tourniquet on you. Do you know what those do?"

"They stop the blood flow?" I wasn't exactly sure; I just knew it helped in some way.

"Yeah, which means it stopped the blood flow to the rest of your leg as well. What I'm trying to say here is even though Katniss' effort did keep you alive, we had to remove your leg. It's the only thing we could do." I instantly lift up the blankets and see one leg there and the other one not. It's strange I didn't notice anything until now, but now that I know and can see it. It just feels so surreal. I don't have one of my legs. Will I even be able to stand? I'm not mad that I lost it; it means I can live. But I'm so used to being able to just walk around. I've really taken it for granted. I wander how I will be able to get around. But it's all worth it if it means I get to be with Katniss.

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**I hope you liked it! Don't forget to REVIEW on the way out! Thanks! ~boywithbreadlover**


	51. Chapter 51

**Here's the next chapter! Enjoy! I do not own THG so any direct quotes will be in italics.**

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**Ch. 51**

"Put weight on your prosthetic leg. It can take it." Dr. Tetra urges the next day. He had come in only thirty minutes ago, with a leg made from the best of the Capitol. After teaching me how to put it on he had told me to sit on the edge of my bed, but now he was beginning to harass me. He wanted me to stand up, only I was scared. I wasn't sure of what. Maybe I thought that if I didn't except this fake leg my real one would magically come back. Or maybe I'm just afraid that it won't work. Either way, I'm scared.

"I can't." I say back. Dr. Tetra has been the only person I've seen in the past twenty-four hours. Every time he comes in I ask if Katniss is awake and every time he answers now isn't the time. I feel like they're just waiting to drop this giant bomb on me. I don't feel any safer here than I did in the arena. I'd feel safer with Katniss in my arms.

"You have to be walking by the ceremonies." He says for practically the fiftieth time. Except he never tells me when the ceremonies are. They could be tonight for all I know.

"Can't I use a wheel-chair or something? I'm not comfortable." I see Dr. Tetra's face go from worry to rage.

"You're a victor! Please you can walk on the prosthetic!" I'm a victor. That's right. I had managed to push it out of my head for a matter of two minutes before he brought it back up. If I'm a victor why do I act so weak right now? My only answer is because my new rock isn't here to hold my hand. Maybe if Katniss were here to reassure me I would have already walked a mile.

"I'm a co-victor. I need my partner." I let out the words, not with rage or anger, but with complete truth. I'll need Katniss by my side for the rest of my life. She'll always have to be there.

"I'm sorry." Is all Dr. Tetra says with the shake of his head. He begins to pace around the white clean room, so perfect, there had to be something wrong with it. Which had to be the person occupying it, me, who couldn't even trust probably the most trust worthy prosthetic leg known to man.

"Please, I'll walk if you'll just let me see her. Just let me see her, we don't even have to talk. I just… She doesn't even need to know I'm there. Just let me look into her room. How am I supposed to know she's okay?"

"You can trust us Peeta." I almost believe him, I almost give into the sneaky Capitol ways, but why should I trust him. He is part of the Capitol. The Capitol that wouldn't care if I had died in the arena. The Capitol that wanted one of us to die. The Capitol that didn't ruin everything, but my life definitely won't be perfect.

"No, I can't." I pause to let him take it in, but I doubt he can. His skin is light purple, his hair a neon green; no one in the Capitol would ever understand what I have been through. "Just please. I won't walk if you don't let me. I won't even stand." I threaten him with the only thing that I can think of. He seems to have a lot riding on getting me to walk.

"I have to go talk to some people." He's out of the room fast. The second the door closes I stand. I can't walk, he had explained to me that I would need a cane for a while, which he didn't bring in, yet. Today's goal was to stand. And I did. It felt strangely freeing, to stand feeling one foot on the ground and the bottom of my stump against the cold metal. The Games had changed me in more way than one.

I fall back instantly to my bed when I hear the door begin to open. I know I probably have people watching me all hours of the day, but I don't want Dr. Tetra to feel that victory just yet.

"Peeta we can't, but you can talk to Haymitch." Dr. Tetra doesn't come fully into the room. He stand with his head peeking in, the door partially open. I have a feeling he saw me standing, if I would've stuck to my gut I might've been able to see her. I just wanted to know what it felt like and in the one second that he left all my fears went away.

"Fine." I answer. He swings the door open and in walks Haymitch, my mentor and fellow victor now. I hadn't realized just how much I missed him until he walked through the door.

"Fine? That's all I get. No, I'd love to talk to him or man I miss him so bad?" Haymitch is drunk, but not as much as usual. I put my legs back on to my bed and lean back against the headrest.

"Yes, fine. You never sent me anything." Dr. Tetra smiles and leaves. Haymitch sits down on a chair right next to my bed.

"I did too. I sent you broth and lamb stew and lets not forget the sleep syrup." He says making himself a little too comfortable in the red plastic furniture.

"Yeah, well not before Katniss came." I said, I was only joking, giving him a hard time.

"Well whatever. You made it out didn't you? So I hear you want to see the lovely Katniss Everdeen." Says Haymitch, leaning his head against the armrest.

"Yeah, how am I supposed to know she's okay? I can't sleep, all the time I just think they're hiding something from me." Haymitch laughs.

"Please, they treat brand-new victors wonderfully." He puts emphasis on the brand-new. Obviously there are stories behind Haymitch, District Twelve Victor. "You'll see her at the ceremonies, they want your genuine reactions or something. I don't know, but your doctor will get fired if he doesn't have you walking by then. Don't you want to walk again?" It does sound tempting. My leg that is still there feels stiff and I feel a strong need to walk it, but I'm scared of…I don't know.

"I don't have my cane." I say, letting an excuse fall so easily out of my mouth.

"I'll help you. You can hold my hand or whatever." Haymitch waves his hands around and quickly gets up.

"What if I'm not ready?" I ask.

"Then you'll never be ready." I listen to him and swing my legs off the bed again. I steadily stand up. I grab Haymitch's hands and just like that I move my normal leg. My muscles let out sighs of relief, but then my stump freezes up. My eyes flash with worry at Haymitch. "Peeta I know you can do this." His words urge me to swing my stump and move the prosthetic and just like that I'm walking again.

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**I hope you liked it! So you know that part in the book when they first get on the hovercraft and Peeta just falls to the ground and Katniss just freaks out? Yeah, well I was really sad they didn't put it in the movie. It was a scene I was really looking forward to. Just so much raw emotion! And Jen would have done wonderful with it (I say that because well her acting is superb and that part when she's yelling at her mom during the Tracker Jacker part! Wonderful emotions!) So I was really disappointed when they didn't have it in there. That being said, what were you disappointed they took out? What part will you be mad about if they don't put it in CF? (for me it's the train scenes! Love it!) Haha, I'm just wondering about your opinions! Don't forget to REVIEW on the way out! Thanks! ~boywithbreadlover**


	52. Chapter 52

**Here's the next chapter! Enjoy! I do not own THG, the lovely Suzanne Collins does, so any direct quotes will be in italics.**

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**Ch. 52**

"Oh! Peeta! You're doing it!" Effie screams as I make my way down the hallway to my team. I have the clothes I wore in the arena back on the hospital clothes in a trash somewhere. The last couple days have been a lot of improvement; I started to walk with the cane. I would walk the halls every day and wonder if Katniss was in any of these rooms, but there were no windows on the doors, there would be no secret reunions.

Effie obviously didn't think I could do it or she hadn't heard of my improvement. It almost looks normal with the way I walk now, but only almost. I still limp and put a lot of my weight on the cane, but I'll get better at home away from everything and with Katniss to cheer me on.

I finally get to my team. I've already seen Haymitch, and Effie I kind of missed, but she was Effie. But Portia until I saw her I didn't realize just how much. She smiles at me and instead of the sorrow that etched her face right before I went into the arena it's pure joy. She quickly grabs me into a huge hug and I almost loose my balance, but she steadies me. We stand in a hug for a while before I realize I must do the same with Effie and Haymitch, there are cameras watching.

I move to my escort, a lady who I completely hated for a long time with out even knowing her. But her she was, her hair bright pink, her outfit so Capitol, and her hug so tight. Maybe she had actually missed us; maybe behind all those passive aggressive comments was a heart that actually cared for us. I release from her hug fast and move to Haymitch. His hug isn't much, really just a pat on the back, but with Haymitch I'll know we'll be friends forever.

It's off with Portia I go to get ready for the ceremonies. Once out of sight of the cameras I feel a nervousness that I didn't even notice was there, leave my body.

" Peeta, I'm so proud of you and Katniss. You did what you had to do. Peeta, just know you are brave." Says Portia as we step onto the elevator, back to our rooms. It's like we never even left. Except all those empty floors we pass on our way to the twelve, they won't have the same tributes in them. They are gone. It gets to our room too fast before I can say anything, it opens up to my prep team. Talia, Rake, Lucinda are the same as always. Young and vibrant and Capitol.

"Peeta, you were so amazing!" Says Talia jumping up and down.

"Peeta, you were so sweet. You and Katniss will be together forever, you have the perfect relationship," say Lucinda. What does she really know of our relationship? They congratulate and praise me more, but I don't really listen. I can smell the amazing Capitol food not that far away, but they won't move. I want to just push them over and stuff my face.

"Guys, you can talk to him at the table. Please, he has to be hungry." Screams Portia at the prep team she's probably not too happy she got. I bet they're all like this, and that not all designer are like Portia and Cinna, calm and collected.

We finally move to the table, except I don't get much, only a small serving. Which I swear is smaller than the first serving of lamb stew I had in the arena. I savor each tiny bite as my taste buds ask for more and more. There is talk going on, but they aren't talking to me anymore as they see I'm more into my food than them.

A couple hours later, which were filled with gossip upon gossip. Each one talked about the big moments in the Games, how sweet I was to Katniss, how adorable that little Rue was. It so much talk about the Games I can't take it. I've managed to push it away for some times during the day, but at night I get the worst. Nightmares filled with the games, nightmares filled with me losing Katniss.

After a while I didn't focus on what they were saying, but that I would be able to see Katniss tonight. Her hair wouldn't be messy, her face not scratched and bruised and even though she never lost her beauty in the Games, she will be radiant again. I wonder what outfit Cinna has created to make her look almost perfect in all ways. It's tonight I get to see her. Tonight.

It's nice when Portia comes in and gets me into my outfit. She doesn't blabber on about the games, or where she was when this happened, she just occasionally asks me questions like are you okay or how are you dealing with that leg? No talk of the all too painful games.

But now here I was below the stage and ready for the ride up and the moment I see Katniss. Haymitch comes up to me before I have to step onto the platform that won't open up to the arena, but a gigantic room full of people, congratulating me on Katniss and mine victory.

"Peeta, good luck out there." Says Haymitch a hand on my shoulder.

"Thanks Haymitch, " I say, and I think he will go away after that, but he doesn't.

"I have the letter still." He says reaching for a pocket in his jacket. "Do want it, or do you still want me to give it to Katniss?" Why would he give it to Katniss, when I could? I still want her to see it; I want her to know that I would've died so that she could live.

"I'd like to give it to her." He hands me the letter.

"Peeta, why don't you just wait until you get home. It might be better that way." I didn't know why Haymitch wanted me to wait until we're back, but I'll listen to him. He probably has a reason for it.

Pretty soon it's time for me to step on to the platform, I'll see Katniss with in a matter of seconds. I hold my breath as I go up, up, up. Then there she is, Katniss looks like the young girl I first saw in kindergarten. Her dress makes her look innocent and harmless, not the hunter that she is, but the lover that she also is.

Katniss takes the few steps to me and flings herself into my arms. I missed this. We begin to kiss and all the while I'm thinking this is where I'm meant to be. With Katniss.

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**I hope you liked it! I am leaving this weekend so there won't be anymore updates today or tomorrow, but maybe Sunday, that's a big maybe though. I don't know what time we're getting home. Which I will probably finish this by Tuesday! I can't believe it! So have a wonderful weekend! Don't forget to REVIEW on the way out! Thanks! ~boywithbreadlover**


	53. Chapter 53

**Here's the next chapter! Enjoy! I do not own THG so any direct quotes will be in italics. **

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**Ch. 53**

It's not easy re-watching everything. Even the opening ceremonies are hard. I see all those kids who could've been right here in this spot. Well, not with the love of their life nestled up against their neck, but here on this stage, the cheering crowd behind. You don't see hope in the eyes of the other tributes during the playbacks of the opening ceremonies, but determination. I can't look at them for to long, or my heart starts beating fast; sweat begins to glistens on my forehead.

Cato, so strong and unforgivable, yet so weak in his last moments. Clove a cold-blooded killer that almost killed Katniss. All of them, even the ones that died at the Cornucopia make me want to run; to leave this place, to go back in time and think of a way to keep everyone alive. But that can't happen. It will never happen, and the only thing that keeps me from crying or screaming or running off the stage is Katniss right beside me. I feel her heart beating, her breath making steady patterns against my neck, her hand held tightly against mine and when I focus on those things my heart slows down. My breathing lessens with Katniss under my arm again.

It's still hard to see all of this again. I lived it, but my mind keeps on trying to forget it. Then we're forced to watch this and it's not easy. It's mostly Katniss and I, but they don't leave out any death. Katniss finally gets to see why exactly I allied with the careers. To save her. Everything I did to help her is detailed across the screen. Maybe this letter in my pocket doesn't need to be given to her. Maybe now she understands.

The rest goes fast as they show scenes from our cave and how we both nursed each other back to health. It's too soon for me to watch and hear Cato die again, but they don't show the full length of it. Soon, it's the end. But they don't end it with the announcement, but within the hovercraft. Katniss screams my name as they work on my almost lifeless body. It's not just me that needs her; she needs me as well.

After having to watch the highlights, we are expected to get up and be happy with the crowd. We are expected to smile and wave. But how can I when all the other children are dead. Gone. And I'm here alive, and I'm supposed to be happy that they died so I could live. Katniss keeps hold of my hand as we stand up and turn around to the crowd. If it's one more thing they want of me I guess I'll give it to them. I wave and smile and hold onto Katniss, longing to be back in bed, Katniss in my arms this time and away from all of this.

I don't get that because we are taken away to the president's mansion for the Victory Banquet. It's a lot of people whom even though I've never met before I don't like them. They're so excited to get a picture with us or shake our hands, it's sick. I could be as easily dead and Cato could be the one standing here and they would be doing the same thing with him. I'm special because I'm a victor, not because I was a tribute.

Katniss never leaves my side and truthfully I don't want her too. With her by my side I can accomplish anything now. The banquet goes on for hours; by the end all I want is sleep even if that means nightmares will find me. But if I have Katniss in my arms, surely the nightmares won't come.

By the time we get to our rooms it's dawn; you can see the early traces of the sun. I want to stay with Katniss and follow her into her room and fall asleep with her in my arms, our hearts beating in sync. But I'm sent off with Portia, for some fitting.

"What do I need fitted?" I say, though Portia knew my size and it didn't make much sense, since everything that she's made before has fit perfectly.

"Oh, you know what I don't think I do. Sorry." She begins to leave and I have a sneaking suspicion she's lying about something. I just don't know why Portia would be lying to me. "I think Haymitch wanted to talk to you. I'll tell him he can." Portia leaves me alone in the room I lived in right before I went into the horrid games. It's where Haymitch and I bonded, where so many scary thoughts went through my head, and where I strongly decided to keep Katniss alive. It almost had as much sentiment to me as our cave did, but only almost.

"Been a long day hasn't it?" Haymitch comes into my room and shuts the door softly. I've sat down on my bed and have begun to take off my prosthetic leg. Katniss will probably come over here, and it was kind of beginning to hurt.

"Yeah it has. I'm beat." I say, working at the confusing contraption.

"Listen you and Katniss can talk more when you get home. I don't want you guys in each other's rooms. This isn't the Games anymore." I can't handle sleep with out her. It's unthinkable. I barely slept while in the hospital; an hour here and there before the nightmares hit. I need her.

"No. I need her. Don't you see that? We need each other." I say. I've looked away from my fake leg, it's halfway on halfway off. What Haymitch is saying confuses me. Why can't we see each other?

"Yeah, I know. But I think it would be best if you both just got some rest, and talked later when there's time. You have the interview at two. Get some rest." Haymitch leaves before I can say anything else. I hear the door close and something click. I have a feeling I'm locked in here.

He wants me to get rest, but with out Katniss rest is unthinkable. I take the fake leg off. My fingers slip as my heart begins to race, but I get it off eventually. I'm worried that maybe I'll never be able to sleep again.

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**I hope you liked it! I can't believe I'm almost done! I hope to be done by Tuesday or Wednesday, you'll know if I'm doing Catching Fire or not on the last chapter and if I do, do it the first chapter will probably be up that day. Don't forget to REVIEW on the way out! Thanks! ~boywithbreadlover**


	54. Chapter 54

**Here's the next chapter! Enjoy! I do not own THG so any direct quotes will be in italics. **

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**Ch. 54**

I can't think of anything, but Katniss. I tried sleep, but the nightmares came fast and only resulted in twenty-minutes of actual rest. Today after the interview we'll be on the way back home, maybe then I can sleep. Maybe then Haymitch won't lock me in my room. It's the only thing I can hope for.

I don't register anything that is going on around me until they take me down to the interview room and I see Katniss. All morning I knew there was my prep team gushing and Portia asking me questions, but I wasn't really paying attention. All I wanted was Katniss holding my hand, kissing my lips, under my arm, just here.

Then I see her; she looks so innocent again by Cinna's touch. She looks absolutely beautiful. All I want is for the whole world to just disappear and for it to just be Katniss and me, with each other, alone. I know we must do this interview, but once we're on the train maybe we can have some alone time.

I grab her by her waist and pull her aside before we have to go one air. "_I hardly get to see you. Haymitch seems bent on keeping us apart." _I want to just lean in and kiss her, but she doesn't make any move towards me.

"_Yes, he's gotten very responsible lately." _She sounds like she's okay with not seeing each other all the time now. Like she's okay with out me by her side all the time. Maybe it's just me that fears the worst.

"_Well there's just this and we go home. Then he can't watch us all the time." _There really is no way that Haymitch can keep us apart at home. He'll probably holed up in his house and then Katniss and I can be alone.

"Come over here guys. On the couch." One of the camera crew workers calls us over and there is no time for a kiss. We make ourselves comfortable and Caesar says it okay for Katniss to sit the way she did last night. She kicks her legs up onto the couch and sets her head on my shoulder. I instantly put my arm around. It's so simple, we're puzzle pieces that fit perfectly together. It feels so natural to sit like this; it doesn't in any way seem forced.

Caesar begins with his easy jokes and winning smile. We begin to talk back and forth and it's so simple words just pouring out of my mouth and joining with his words. He asks simple questions that mostly I answer. I know Katniss doesn't like this kind of thing too much so I try to talk for her. But once Caesar starts to ask harder questions I actually do want to hear her answers.

"_Well, Peeta, we know, from our days in the cave, that it was love at first sight for you from what, age five?" _Caesar asks.

"_From the moment I laid eyes on her." _I answer back.

"_But, Katniss,"_ This question is directly sent at her, there is no way to deny it. I can't answer for her, "_What a ride for you. I think the real excitement for the audience was watching you fall for him. When did you realize you were in love with him?" _I don't want to answer this question for her. I want to know when the true feelings began.

"_Oh, that's a hard one…" _Her words go off, the question unanswered. I'm waiting for the moment that she speaks up again when Caesar begins again.

"_Well, I know when it hit me. The night when you shouted out his name from that tree,"_ I remember watching that moment last night, her eyes went wide and my name came instantly out.

"_Yes, I guess that was it. I mean, until that point, I just tried not to think about what my feelings might be, honestly, because it was so confusing and it only made things worse if I actually cared about him. But then, in the tree, everything changed." _I always wondered why Katniss had actually come for me. She had known about the injury and everything, but still she came. But now after she's said this, maybe she had feelings for me before the Games, before all of this began.

_"Why do you think that was?"_ Asks Caesar leaning forward in his chair, waiting anxiously for the answer.

"_Maybe…because for the first time… there was a chance I could keep him." _She lets the words come slowly, but they melt my heart. She had felt something for me before all the Games began.

_"So now that you've got me, what are you going to do with me?"_ I ask leaning my forehead against hers. I wish there weren't cameras watching right now, that Caesar wasn't two feet away with his huge smile. I wish for one moment the whole world wasn't peering into such intimate moments.

"_Put you somewhere you can't get hurt." _She turns her head and finally lets our lips meet. The moment is perfect and like always over too soon.

"Yes, Katniss. I'm sure you never want Peeta to get hurt again. So many things happened." Caesar begins to ask about all the horrible things that happened in the arena. Everything, he won't let us forget anything.

"I've never been stung by a Tracker Jacker before, but I hear it's not fun. Peeta, what was it like?" He asks making me remember all those horrible nightmares.

"Definitely not fun. A lot of scary stuff. Trust me if you ever see a nest, run." I don't want him to ask any more questions about it and thankfully he doesn't. He moves on to more stuff and pretty soon we're onto the mutts.

"Peeta, how is that new leg of yours working out?" Asks Caesar after talking about the life threatening injury.

Before I can say anything Katniss speaks up. "_New leg?" _They never told her? Did they not think it was important information? She lifts up my pants to reveal the bottom of the metal leg, "_Oh, no." _She says.

"_No one told you?" _asks Caesar confused as well.

"_I haven't had the chance." _I shrug; maybe they wanted me to tell her.

"_It's my fault because I used that tourniquet." _Katniss says, her face is in horror.

"_Yes, it's your fault I'm alive." _I remember how Dr. Tetra told me it saved my life. Katniss can't put the blame on herself because if I had to choose between no leg or no life with Katniss, I'd choose no leg every time.

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**I hope you liked it! There will probably only be two-three chapters after this! I can't believe it! Don't forget to REVIEW on the way out! Thanks! ~boywithbreadlover**


	55. Chapter 55

**Here's the next chapter! Enjoy! I do not own THG so any direct quotes will be in italics. **

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**Ch. 55 **

We're on the train before we know it. It seems so surreal. I'd never thought that I'd actually be able to go home. Well my body would, but not me. I never thought I'd be there to accompany Katniss through the hardships of being a victor. Which I hadn't completely realized were there until only a little bit ago. How long do the nightmares stay? Will they be there for the rest of my life? I feel even if I have Katniss wrapped in my arms they will never truly go away. All those forgotten tributes haunting me for the rest of my life.

We're given a humongous meal and I'm actually aloud to stuff my face. Even so I don't, I don't want to feel sick again like I did on the first night. I never let go of Katniss as I eat with one hand because maybe she'll just disappear. My hand is anchoring her here and hers is holding me down as well. Tonight will be spent in each other's arms everything else will be forgotten.

We go to watch the interview. We look so innocent, with Katniss curled up against me, my arm wrapped around her shoulder. We don't look like the last weeks were spent surviving, fighting for our lives. We don't look like the lost children having to listen to a dying Cato all through the night. We look completely different, just young and in love, everything else is forgotten.

Katniss leaves for a minute to go change, she comes back the girl I use to watch walk home each day. Her braid lies across her shoulder, her face washed of anything resembling the Capitol. She doesn't look innocent any more, but she doesn't look like a victor either. She looks like Katniss Everdeen a girl from the Seam who lost her father and fights for her family's lives each day. The only thing different is now she's mine.

The train stops for a little bit to get fuel and Katniss and I decide to take a little walk. We walk out of the train hand in hand. Katniss doesn't seem totally herself. She has her normal face on, the scowl etching across it every now and then, but there's something else behind it. I notice some flowers and I decide that maybe those will brighten her face a little. I pick them for her, but they only seem to make it worse. There is some sort of loss behind her eyes.

_"What's wrong?"_ I ask, hoping she'll tell me.

"_Nothing," _She lies. We continue to walk down the track, hand in hand, but not completely together.

Haymitch comes up quickly from behind and lies a hand on both of our shoulders, it startles both of us, "_Great job, you two." _I'm thinking he's talking about winning, or maybe the interview, but then he adds, "_Just keep it up in the district until the cameras are gone. We should be okay." _What is he talking about? I don't get to ask him as he walks away; instead I'm left with Katniss to explain.

"_What's he mean?" _I ask urgently.

"_It's the Capitol. They didn't like our stunt with the berries." _She lets the words tumble out of her mouth and they seem unprepared. The "stunt" with the berries, wasn't meant to be a stunt. It was so we could both be together, so that Katniss wouldn't have to go through being a victor alone.

"_What?"_ It shouldn't have been a stunt to Katniss either, "_What are you talking about?" _I am utterly confused.

"_It seemed too rebellious. So, Haymitch has been coaching me through the last few days. So I didn't make it worse." _She says. I've dropped her hand.

"_Coaching you? But not me,"_ Why would Katniss need to be coached. The Games were over. Weren't they?

"_He knew you were smart enough to get it right." _Get what right?

"_I didn't know there was anything to get right," _I remember all the strategy Haymitch and I had gone through before the Games began, had he been doing the same with Katniss? Was all the annoyance just an act? "_So, what you're saying is, these last few days and then I guess… back in the arena… that was just some strategy you two worked out." _It makes sense, maybe that's the real reason she came to get me. A strategy. Not feelings, but just for the games.

"_No. I mean I couldn't even talk to him in the arena could I?" _It takes a while for the words to come out of her mouth. They aren't sure and calculated, but lost and confused. Katniss wasn't mine. She never was. Is that what she's saying?

"_But you knew what he wanted you to do, didn't you?" _No words come stammering out of her mouth. It's just wide-open silence, unanswered questions, "_Katniss?"_ I need her to say something, for her to tell me that she did feel something. That those feelings were real and that they weren't just for the Games. A show put on for the Capitol people to enjoy. But she was willing to die for me, didn't that mean there was something there?

"_It was all for the Games. How you acted." _I let the words that I'm sure she was too scared to say come out of my mouth, come crashing against her chest. I hope she feels bad. I hope she knows that at this moment she is breaking my heart.

"_Not all of it,"_ What was forced? The kisses, the stories, the closeness? What was true and what was downright fake?

"_Then how much? No forget that. I guess the real question is what's going to be left when we get back to District Twelve?" _Was it just today that we had that perfect moment during our interview? That kiss felt so real, every kiss did, but what was really there? There was not going to be holding each other each night, only nightmares for me.

"_I don't know. The closer we get to District Twelve the more confused I get." _I wait for her so say something else, for her words to comfort me again. For her to tell me that maybe she'll stay, that she'll be there for me. But they don't come.

"_Well, let me know when you work it out." _My voice sounds angry, but all it really is, is the beginning of a broken heart. My heart beats fast, the blood pumping through my veins fast. But really my heart is broken, torn apart by the Girl on Fire.

Now I understand that when Katniss came back into the room earlier she was back to the same thing she was before. Just a girl I watched walk home each day. Just a girl I couldn't get the courage up to tell her she was the love of my life. Just a girl.

I walk back fast to my room. I quickly meet eyes with Haymitch hoping he gets the idea that I want to him to follow me. We needed to talk.

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**I hope you liked it! Poor Peeta :( Wow, so the next and last chapter will be up tomorrow! I can't believe I've wrote all this! Anyways, so keep your eyes open tomorrow for the very last update! Don't forget to REVIEW on the way out! Thanks! ~boywithbreadlover**


	56. Chapter 56

**Oh, Wow, Last Chapter! Enjoy! I do not own THG so any direct quotes will be in italics.**

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**Ch. 56**

Haymitch is in my room a whole two seconds after I enter. He closes the door fast. I can already fell the sticky salt water rolling down my cheek and plummeting onto the ground. I fall back onto my bed as the emotions hit me fast, but not fast enough.

"You knew, the whole time you knew, but you failed to warn me?" I don't know how I could really blame it on him, but I had to put some sort of blame on him. He had this thing with Katniss that I was totally oblivious to.

"How was I supposed to tell you during the games? And you made it out alive didn't you?" I take in the fact that he doesn't say I won, or became a victor, but that I made it out alive. It's not something to be celebrated. At least not in a victor's eyes.

"Yeah, but my heart didn't." I don't care that it sounds cheesy; it's true. I had imagined so many things, got my hopes up multiple times, but only to get my heart squished by Katniss' hard hunting boots.

"Oh please Peeta, you'll move on." He pauses for a second, lets the air move in between us for just a heart beat before he adds, "I did." What could he possibly mean? There's no way his heart has been torn out like this, thrown on the ground and smashed.

"Oh yeah, like you know this feeling." I cry out, the tears coming out faster than they ever have.

"You don't know what I've been through." He pushes me over so he can lie down on the bed as well. His breath becomes softer and I fear he's falling asleep before he adds, "If I had told you…" His voice trails off, leaving his sentence with endless possibilities.

"What? What would have happened if you told me?" I sit up and the tears stop momentarily.

"Things would happen. Let's just say Katniss might've not had Prim anymore." His words hit me hard almost blowing the oxygen from my lungs. The Capitol would've killed Prim? "They don't like to be fooled." He says. "If I had told you, you wouldn't have been so in love. All that pureness that you added made it real. They have to believe that what you had was real." I let all of his words sink in. Katniss never was pure, I was too in love to notice it, but according to Haymitch, it wasn't. The Capitol wouldn't like it if this wasn't some hormonal last resort, if it were to show them up, my family would be dead with in minutes. But for me it wasn't to show them up, it was love. I'm not sure about Katniss, but for her to do that there had to be at least a little something there.

Katniss didn't want to die, and she was fully committed to the berries. Unless she was one-hundred percent sure it would work, Katniss wouldn't had done it for any other reason than that she couldn't live with me dead. There had to be something there if that was the case.

And then there was Haymitch, a man who said he's been through this pain I feel right now. "You've felt this?" The tears come back as I remember the betrayal and the loss of love. I hold my heart. Clearly the conversation has moved from why it happened.

"Yeah. I did something the Capitol didn't like." He shrugs, letting the years of alcohol and pain show across his face. "Peeta, that's why when the cameras come, please act in love." It wouldn't be acting, just tainted. I still loved Katniss. I know that love will never go away. But I don't want our relationship to be fake. I see pain cross across Haymitch' face.

"They took people from you?" He looks away, out the window to the trees passing.

He doesn't meet my eyes when he says, "That's why I don't have anyone." Tears don't come to his eyes; the alcohol has made all the emotions go hide. Still there, but only to come out on rare occasions.

"Well you have me now." I try to bring a smile across my face, but it probably doesn't come out comforting. Haymitch pats my leg and begins to get up.

"Peeta, you wouldn't only be doing it for yourself, but Katniss too." The Capitol could take so many things from Katniss. The reasons she has been fighting to get home for could be gone within seconds at the Capitol's hands. Haymitch leaves with the soft shutting of the door.

I know the easy thing to do. The easy thing would to just ignore Katniss, let her feel the pain that she's caused me. But if Katniss really had no feelings for me, it would do nothing. It will be painful for me to look into her eyes, to know that they don't lust for me like I do for her. It will be painful to know that I'm completely in love and she's not. It will be painful. But in the end, the Capitol won't be able to lay a finger on us. If we did it out of real true love, the Capitol Citizens would never stand for harm. If we truly are the Star-Crossed Lovers from District Twelve, nothing can harm us.

I must allow the cameras to see us "in love". Not only for me, but as Haymitch said for Katniss as well. They will be gone with in a couple weeks. What then? Will Katniss pay attention to me? Will she acknowledge that anything ever happened? Will the Games be put behind us, forgotten?

I can't think of those things now, I can only think of saving ourselves from more pain. We have to be in love, only for a little while longer. I'm not complaining, but I know I will only feel hurt every time I look into her eyes, or our lips meet. I'll know it's not sincere, not love.

I don't leave my room until the next morning when Haymitch tells me we're pulling into the station. Now is the time to put on a face. To show the pureness of our relationship because either way I still love her. When I walk out into the cab we'll get off on, I see her. Standing, waiting for the train to stop and the doors to open into the familiar District Twelve. She looks so harmless, like those words the other night, didn't come from her mouth, but some one else's. Some one who didn't love me. I thought back over all our moments together in the Games and I questioned every single one of them, but all seemed sincere. Maybe she just didn't know it yet.

Our small, dirty train station comes into sight. I know what I must do, what we must do. I hold out my hand and Katniss looks at me her eyes weary, "_One more time? For the audience?" _Katniss grabs my hand and holds onto it firmly. The flashes begin before the train even stops and the door opens. I don't feel broken with Katniss' hand securing me, I feel whole. And all the crying and heartache I went through last night is gone. Suddenly I fear the moments that the cameras leave and Katniss goes away. I will become broken, once again.

THE END OF BOOK ONE

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**I hope you liked it! Now time for the thank-you's. First of all I want to give a big thanks to Suzanne Collins, the lady that created this wonderful world filled with wonderful characters that I instantly fell in love with. Especially Peeta, I love him and is why I wrote this! My next thank-you goes out to all you lovely readers (even if you didn't review) You guys are awesome for reading all 56 chapters! You guys kept me accountable when I got something wrong and all your amazing reviews helped me to keep writing. And the people that didn't review you're awesome too, because you showed up on my views and showed me that people did actually read it, even though no one was reviewing :) Okay now that I'm done with the thank-you's I'll move on to Catching Fire. Drumroll please... Yes I will be doing it! It will be titled Rekindled Fire and after I post this I'll be going to post the first chapter. For one last time on The Fate Games, Don't forget to REVIEW on the way out! Thank-you, Thank-you, Thank-you! ~boywithbreadlover**


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